Ubisoft Unveils New Financial Tactics Amid Assassin's Creed Shadows Scandal

Ubisoft is currently exploring the possibility of establishing a new company dedicated to managing and selling its key franchises, including the renowned Assassin's Creed series. According to Bloomberg, the studio aims to attract investors by selling a stake in this new entity. Negotiations are already underway with potential investors such as Tencent, along with various international and French funds. The market value of this proposed new company is anticipated to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization of $1.8 billion.

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

Amidst these developments, Ubisoft finds itself embroiled in yet another controversy, this time in Japan. Takeshi Nagase, a member of the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has publicly criticized Ubisoft's handling of religious themes in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Nagase finds it unacceptable that the game allows players to attack monks in temples or shoot arrows at sacred buildings. He has also taken issue with the depiction of the famous Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the protagonist, Yasuke, is shown entering with dirty shoes and damaging a sacred mirror inside the temple.