Gameloft lost half its workforce after Vivendi's hostile takeover

Gameloft was founded in Paris in 1999 by Michel Guillemot, one of the five brothers who co-founded Ubisoft. The company grew rapidly during the mobile gaming boom, reaching 5,000 employees and over €300 million in annual revenue by the mid-2010s. It operated studios in more than 20 countries and was one of the world's largest mobile game publishers, with titles including Asphalt, Modern Combat, and Dungeon Hunter.

In October 2015, the French media conglomerate Vivendi began acquiring Gameloft shares. Despite the board's opposition, Vivendi accumulated 30% by February 2016 and launched a hostile takeover bid. The acquisition was completed on 1 June 2016, with Vivendi holding 56% of shares. Michel Guillemot resigned on 29 June to join his brothers at Ubisoft and help defend against a similar takeover attempt.

The takeover triggered a brutal restructuring. Gameloft had already closed seven studios in 2015 due to a €16.6 million net loss. Under Vivendi's ownership, further closures followed in Auckland, Valencia, Madrid, the UK, and Budapest. The workforce shrank from over 5,000 to less than 3,000 within three years. The company did not return to regular profitability until 2022, when Disney Dreamlight Valley marked a successful pivot to premium PC and console games.