- Ubisoft is going through a major crisis, and it’s possible Tencent might acquire it.
- Tencent might save Ubisoft momentarily, but the Chinese tech giant is notorious for some shady policies.
- Excessive microtransactions, aggressive data collection and handling, and censorship are replacing one evil with another.
In any form of business, highs and lows always exist, and gaming is no exception. At one time a company would be enjoying the spotlight, while at another it would be struggling, it’s all part of the process. Right now, it’s Ubisoft’s turn to experience rock bottom, and it has no one but itself to blame.
Ubisoft’s in deep trouble now. Following the Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws backlashes, things are looking pretty grim. Investors were so angry they suggested privatization, and it looks like Ubisoft is considering its options now. And there’s a good chance it’s Tencent.
Why it matters: Tencent might be Ubisoft’s only savior now, but its approach to microtransactions, data collection, and censorship is equally bad, if not worse.
The Pros: Ubisoft Will Survive
Now, if Tencent does indeed get Ubisoft, let’s look at how things would change. First, take a look at the merits. The most important is how Ubisoft will get past this chaos. Tencent is essentially a titan; it can easily keep Ubisoft afloat. It won’t go bankrupt, the IPs will stay intact, and we get to keep Ubisoft (Yay?).
Tencent is looking forward to buy Ubisoft. Can we expect a "dead and buried" franchise getting back?
byu/IceNysp inwatch_dogs
But wait a minute—that’s not all. All this mess started because of Ubisoft’s absurd obsession with forced diversity in everything. If it becomes Tencent-owned, the “Chinese” conglomerate will have a say, and the example of Black Myth: Wukong is before you.
Chinese games are diverse when it makes sense, not for the sake of “political correctness.” They maintain diversity naturally, as it should be, which isn’t how Ubisoft has been doing things lately. This is why I found it pretty ironic when the Ubisoft execs okayed the Tencent acquittal.
Ubisoft gets saved, and all the forced diversity goes away, too? What else could you want? This is a win-win.
Prepare For Microtransaction Galore
Well, I’m sorry to bring bad news; it’s not going to be so smooth. Now we come to the downsides and trust me; you’d want to hear this.
Yes, Tencent getting Ubisoft will fix some stuff, but the conglomerate will also bring its own brand of chaos to the table. For starters, if you thought Ubisoft had a microtransactions problem before, things will get a lot worse when Tencent is in charge. Dying Light 2 agrees with me.
The Chinese tech giant is notorious for excessive and anti-consumer monetization in its games. I already hate Ubisoft plenty for adding microtransactions to single-player games, but if Tencent gets to have its way, this will get progressively worse. Right now you have XP boosters, next it will be “pay $5 to assassinate the target.”
Micro transactions in single player games are truly insane and I will never understand the people who defend it
byu/wild-shamen ingaming
Data Collection And Censorship Await
Wait, there’s more? You bet there is. The second consumer-hurting tactic is how the company aggressively collects data on top of being CCP itself. If Riot Games is any indication, a Tencent-owned Ubisoft will also get a kernel-level anti-cheat that very humbly says, “Your data is mine now.”
Tencent is a company that faced opposition in China itself, that’s how suspicious its tactics are. On top of that, kernel-level spyware that you can’t disable and has access to everything on your PC, including the ability to brick it, is something I can never be okay with.
So does that mean that their current anti-cheat collects personal information?
byu/Aster-D-Zone inLeagueOfMemes
Data Collection isn’t the only problem. The extreme censorship laws of the Chinese government, and the fact that Tencent is essentially a CCP representative and thus enforces them is another problem you might face. You’ll have to pledge your “loyalty” in Siege if this ever happens.
Let’s Hope For The Best
All in all, this situation is as unpredictable as it gets. I won’t go so far as to say I prayed for Ubisoft’s downfall. A lot of jobs and livelihoods are at stake here, and those people have my sympathies.
If Tencent acquiring Ubisoft will save it, I’m all for it, but the Chinese company’s tactics scare me. I’m grasping at the straw that Tencent has the policy to invest, not interfere, so maybe things will go smoothly. Whatever happens, I hope it’s in the best interests of everyone involved.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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