Ubisoft's Financial Moves and Assassin's Creed Shadows Scandal

Ubisoft is currently considering the formation of a new company aimed at attracting investors, with a focus on selling major franchises like Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, the studio is planning to sell a stake in this new entity and has started negotiations with potential investors, including Tencent, as well as various international and French funds. The projected market value of this new company is anticipated to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization of $1.8 billion.

As of now, the discussions are ongoing, and no final decisions have been made. Ubisoft may opt to abandon this plan, with the outcome hinging on the success of the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed Shadows. Ubisoft has expressed optimism about the game, reporting steady progress in pre-orders.

This development is unfolding amidst controversy in Japan surrounding the game. Takeshi Nagase, a member of both the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has voiced strong objections to Ubisoft's depiction of religious themes in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Nagase finds it unacceptable that players can control the protagonist to attack monks in temples or shoot arrows at these sacred sites. Furthermore, he criticized the portrayal of the renowned Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and damaging the sacred mirror within.