Ubisoft Faces Financial Scrutiny Amid Assassin's Creed Shadows Scandal

Ubisoft is currently exploring the creation of a new company aimed at attracting investors by focusing on selling key franchises such as Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, the company is planning to sell a stake in this new entity and has already started negotiations with potential investors, including Tencent, as well as various international and French funds. The anticipated market value of this new company is expected to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization of $1.8 billion.

However, these plans are still in the discussion phase, and Ubisoft might choose to abandon this strategy. The decision largely hinges on the success of the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed Shadows, for which the company has high expectations. Ubisoft reports that pre-orders for the game are progressing well.

Amidst these developments, Ubisoft is facing another controversy in Japan. Takeshi Nagase, a member of both the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has voiced strong objections to the way Ubisoft handles religious themes in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Nagase finds it offensive that the game allows players to attack monks in temples or shoot arrows at these sacred sites. Additionally, he criticizes the depiction 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 Nagase deems disrespectful.