Ubisoft's New Financial Schemes and Another Scandal with Assassin's Creed Shadows

Ubisoft is currently exploring the creation of a new company aimed at attracting investors by focusing on selling key franchises like 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, along with various international and French funds. The market value of this new company is anticipated to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization of $1.8 billion.

However, the plan is still in the discussion phase, and Ubisoft has yet to make a final decision. The success of this initiative heavily depends on the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed Shadows, which Ubisoft views with great optimism. Pre-orders for the game are reportedly progressing well.

This development occurs amidst another controversy surrounding the game, particularly in Japan. Takeshi Nagase, a member of 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 the game allows the protagonist to attack monks in temples or shoot arrows at these sacred places. He is particularly critical of the portrayal of the famous Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and destroying a sacred mirror.