Ubisoft is currently exploring the creation of a new company aimed at attracting investors by focusing on selling key franchises such as Assassin's Creed. According to Bloomberg, the company intends to sell a stake in this new entity and has initiated discussions with potential investors, including Tencent, along with various international and French funds. The market value of this proposed new company is anticipated to surpass Ubisoft's current market capitalization of $1.8 billion.
However, the plan remains in the discussion phase, and Ubisoft might decide to abandon it. The decision hinges on the performance of the upcoming release, Assassin's Creed Shadows, which the company is banking on heavily. Ubisoft has reported that pre-orders for the game are progressing steadily.
These developments occur amidst another controversy in Japan concerning Assassin's Creed Shadows. Takeshi Nagase, a member of the Kobe City Council and the Hyogo Prefectural Assembly, has publicly criticized Ubisoft's depiction of religious themes in the game. He finds it unacceptable that the protagonist can attack monks in temples or shoot arrows at these sacred sites. Additionally, Nagase is particularly upset about the portrayal of the famous Engyō-ji temple in Himeji, where the character Yasuke is shown entering with dirty shoes and damaging a sacred mirror.
