Ubisoft is currently considering the formation of a new company aimed at attracting investors, with a focus on selling key franchises like Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, Ubisoft plans to divest a stake in this new entity and has initiated discussions with potential investors, including Tencent, and various international and French funds. The anticipated market value of this new company is projected to surpass Ubisoft's existing capitalization of $1.8 billion.
While the idea is still in the discussion phase, Ubisoft has not yet made a final decision on this move. The success of the upcoming release, Assassin's Creed Shadows, plays a critical role in these plans. Ubisoft reports that pre-orders for the game are showing steady progress, which is a positive sign for the company's future.
Amid these developments, Ubisoft faces another controversy in Japan. Takeshi Nagase, a member of the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has publicly criticized the 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 these sacred structures. Additionally, he has expressed dissatisfaction with 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 within the temple.
