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

Ubisoft is currently exploring the possibility of establishing a new company dedicated to capitalizing on its iconic franchises, such as Assassin's Creed. According to reports from Bloomberg, the gaming giant is considering selling a stake in this newly formed entity and has already initiated discussions with potential investors, including tech giant Tencent and various international and French investment funds. The projected market value of this new venture is anticipated to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization, which stands at $1.8 billion.

However, the plan remains in the discussion phase, and Ubisoft has not yet made a final decision. The success of this strategic move heavily depends on the performance of their upcoming release, Assassin's Creed Shadows, for which Ubisoft has set high expectations. The company has reported that pre-orders for the game are showing promising progress.

Amidst these developments, Ubisoft is also navigating another controversy, this time in Japan. Takeshi Nagase, a member of both the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has voiced strong objections to the depiction of religious themes in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Nagase is particularly critical of the game allowing players to engage in actions such as attacking monks in temples and shooting arrows at sacred structures. He specifically highlighted the portrayal of the Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and damaging a sacred mirror, actions that Nagase finds deeply offensive.