Ubisoft Faces New Financial Issues and Scandal with Assassin's Creed Shadows

Ubisoft, a leading name in the gaming industry, is reportedly considering the creation of a new company aimed at attracting investors. This new entity would focus on selling key franchises such as Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, Ubisoft is planning to sell a stake in this new company and has initiated negotiations with potential investors, including the tech giant Tencent, as well as various international and French funds. The market value of this new venture is anticipated to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization of $1.8 billion.

While the idea is still in the discussion phase, no definitive decision has been reached. Ubisoft might decide to abandon the plan altogether, with the outcome heavily dependent on the performance of the eagerly awaited release of Assassin's Creed Shadows. The company has expressed optimism about the game, noting that pre-orders are progressing well.

This development unfolds amidst controversy in Japan, where the game has sparked significant backlash. Takeshi Nagase, a member of both the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has publicly criticized Ubisoft's depiction of religious themes in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Nagase finds it offensive that the game's protagonist can engage in violent actions against monks within temple grounds or target such sacred spaces with arrows. He specifically pointed out the portrayal of the renowned Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and damaging a sacred mirror, actions that have drawn strong disapproval from Nagase.