Ubisoft Faces Financial Scrutiny Amid Assassin's Creed Shadows Scandal

Ubisoft is currently exploring the creation of a new company aimed at attracting investors, with a focus on selling key franchises such as Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, the studio is planning to sell a stake in this new entity and has initiated discussions with potential investors, including Tencent, along with various international and French funds. The anticipated market value of this new venture is set to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization, which stands at $1.8 billion.

However, the process is still in the discussion phase, and Ubisoft has yet to make a final decision. The company's plans may hinge on the success of the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed Shadows, for which Ubisoft has high expectations. The company reports that pre-orders for the game are moving forward steadily.

This development comes amidst another controversy surrounding the game in Japan. Takeshi Nagase, a member of 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 unacceptable that the game's protagonist can attack monks in temples or target such sacred sites with arrows. Additionally, he has criticized the depiction of the renowned Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, particularly scenes where the character Yasuke enters the temple with dirty shoes and damages a sacred mirror within.