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 the sale of key franchises like Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, Ubisoft is in the process of negotiating with potential investors, including Tencent and various international and French funds, to sell a stake in this new entity. The market value of this proposed 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 yet to make a final decision. The success of this venture heavily depends on the performance of the upcoming release, Assassin's Creed Shadows, which Ubisoft is banking on heavily. The company 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 publicly criticized Ubisoft's handling of 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. He is particularly upset about the depiction of the renowned Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and destroying a sacred mirror within the temple.