- Ubisoft has pushed back the woke narrative, saying the company makes games for everyone.
- The French gaming giant also admitted its mistakes with Star Wars Outlaws.
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows has also been delayed in polishing the game further.
This past month has been a consistent downward slope for Ubisoft. First, its major AAA title, Star Wars: Outlaws, bombed massively and failed to meet the company’s sales expectations, with critics pointing out the game’s numerous technical issues.
Following that, the studio’s stock price has been consistently falling, and the delay of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has only made it worse. With everything going downhill, the company recently called an investor meeting and updated its financial targets for this fiscal year.
But, the most interesting tidbit from this conference call was Ubisoft saying that it doesn’t aim to push any specific agenda in video games.
Why It Matters: Many believe that the reason for Ubisoft’s downfall is “going woke,” and seeing the company address such a dense narrative showcases how desperately it wants Assassin’s Creed Shadows to be a success following the failure of Outlaws.
During the meeting, Ubisoft rather efficiently acknowledged that it has been making games that are “woke.” In what seems like a neutral statement, the developer assured fans that it is an entertainment-first company and doesn’t want to push any specific narrative besides creating enjoyable games.
our goal is not to push any specific agenda. We remain committed to creating games…that everyone can enjoy.
-Ubisoft
The company’s stock is currently at an all-time 10-year low, and its saving grace for 2024, Star Wars: Outlaws, isn’t selling too hot right now. This whole not pushing a specific agenda thing is most likely due to the controversies surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Without much evidence of Yasuke’s portrayal as a samurai, Ubisoft pushed his role into the game so the fandom is unlikely to buy whatever the CEO is trying to say.
For now, the developer has delayed the title, but it is unlikely to erase Yasuke’s role completely.
With rumors about the company being sold in the air and its potential savior getting delayed till next year, no one knows what the future holds for Ubisoft. Will Assassin’s Creed Shadows be a mega-hit when it launches on February 14, 2025? Only time can tell.
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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 devotedly 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.
