Ubisoft is considering a strategic move to establish a new company aimed at attracting investors by focusing on selling its flagship franchises, such as Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, Ubisoft has initiated discussions to sell a stake in this proposed entity and is in talks with potential investors, including Tencent and various international and French funds. The projected market value of this new company is anticipated to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization, which stands at $1.8 billion.
As of now, the plan remains in the discussion phase, with no final decisions made. Ubisoft could potentially abandon this strategy, hinging much on the success of the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed Shadows. Ubisoft has reported that pre-orders for the game are performing well, raising expectations for a strong launch.
Amidst these developments, Ubisoft faces another controversy in Japan concerning Assassin's Creed Shadows. Takeshi Nagase, a member of both the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has voiced strong objections to the game's handling of religious themes. Nagase finds it offensive that the game allows players to attack monks in temples or shoot arrows at these sacred spaces. He is particularly critical of 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, actions that Nagase considers deeply disrespectful.
