Ubisoft Faces Financial Scrutiny Amid Assassin's Creed Shadows Scandal

Ubisoft is currently considering the establishment of a new company with the aim of attracting investment, focusing specifically on selling key franchises like Assassin's Creed. According to reports from Bloomberg, the company is in the process of negotiating with potential investors, including tech giant Tencent, alongside various international and French funds. The anticipated market value of this new entity is projected to surpass Ubisoft's existing market capitalization, which stands at $1.8 billion.

However, these plans are still in the discussion phase, and no definitive decision has been reached. Ubisoft may opt to abandon this strategy, with the outcome heavily dependent on the performance of their eagerly awaited release, Assassin's Creed Shadows. Ubisoft has reported that pre-orders for the game are moving forward at a steady pace.

This development occurs amidst another controversy surrounding the game, particularly in Japan. Takeshi Nagase, a member of both the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has voiced strong objections to Ubisoft's handling of religious themes in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Nagase finds it deeply offensive that the game allows players to engage in actions such as attacking monks in temples or firing arrows at sacred structures. Additionally, he has criticized the depiction of the renowned Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and damaging the sacred mirror within the temple.