Ubisoft's CEO Talks Assassin's Creed, Takeover Bids And More

It started in 1986, in the sort of castle you'd expect one of its characters to climb. In the three decades since it improbably took up within the halls of a 19th century neo-Renaissance Brittany keep, French multinational games publisher Ubisoft has turned out some of gaming's grandest franchises. From Rayman's ghost-limbed antics to the tactically encyclopedic Tom Clancy games, the crypto-byzantine Assassin's Creed series' edgy roof-running to Just Dance's infectious bust-a-moves, Ubisoft has turned quirky, technically involuted concepts into industry exemplars. TIME recently spoke with Ubisoft cofounder, chairman and CEO Yves Guillemot about the company's origins, what he's learned about overreaching, recent threats of hostile takeovers, what interactivity means for the future of the species, and why, of all things, a castle. Actually, the fact that I was surrounded by brilliant and creative people. Brilliant and creative people were really what helped me to continue to go forward.