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

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

However, the process is still in the discussion phase, and Ubisoft has yet to make a final decision. The fate of this plan heavily hinges on the success of the upcoming release, Assassin's Creed Shadows, which Ubisoft is highly optimistic about. The company reports that pre-orders for the game are moving forward steadily.

Amidst these developments, Ubisoft faces another controversy in Japan. 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 offensive that the game allows players to attack monks in temples or shoot arrows at sacred structures. He is particularly critical of the portrayal of the renowned Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and damaging a sacred mirror.