Ubisoft is in free fall. Once a juggernaut in the world of games, the company has become a mess—corporate, and unable to see the wood for the trees. Leadership is lost. The games are soulless. Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within, Splinter Cell, and Assassin’s Creed 2 were all bangers. Fast-forward to 2024. The connection to the player base is nonexistent. From cultural controversy to unplayable releases, Ubisoft’s problems are layered. At its core is a complete disconnection from the very people it claims to make games for. And Assassin’s Creed Shadows seems to be the final nail in the coffin.
Yasuke was never a Samurai — Assassin’s Creed Shadows Shows Ubisoft Doesn’t Care About Anything Other Than Profit and Saving Face
One glaring example of Ubisoft’s creative demise is Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This game was meant to be an exciting journey into Japanese history. Instead, it has become a public relations nightmare. Gamers, especially from Japan, have voiced concerns about historical inaccuracies and cultural insensitivities. Yet Ubisoft responded with deflection rather than support. Negative reactions to the game were labeled by Ubisoft as complaints from a “toxic minority.”
Instead of addressing valid criticism, Ubisoft worked with media outlets like The New York Times to shift the narrative. They framed the backlash as an overreaction to the protagonist’s race rather than a response to genuine issues of cultural misrepresentation. This approach is not only tone-deaf but humiliating. Under the guise of being respectful, Ubisoft took what could have been a positive gesture and turned it into a clumsy, money-making venture. They disregarded the pride that the people of Japan hold in their heritage.
While it is undeniable that Yasuke existed, his significance within Japanese history is relatively minor. His time in Japan was brief, lasting less than three years, and following his surrender, he was likely sold into slavery to the Portuguese. The romanticized portrayal of Yasuke as a valiant warrior is largely inaccurate. He was not a samurai but rather a weapon bearer, akin to a European squire. Even if he were to be classified as a samurai, his actions would still be insignificant in the broader context of Japanese history.
Yasuke’s primary distinction among Oda Nobunaga’s many weapon bearers was his African ethnicity, which intrigued the warlord. His skills as a swordsman or commander were not exceptional. His presence in Japan and subsequent documentation were a series of improbable events, unlike the well-established historical figure of Malik Ambar.
Rather than listen to their global audience, Ubisoft deflected and dismissed. This has widened the chasm between the company and its player base.
Ubisoft Is Head Deep In Denial And Ignores The Gaming Community It Catered To
Interviews with current and past developers make one thing clear: leadership at Ubisoft is in denial. The attitude among leaders is that most complaints are just noise from disgruntled gamers, a toxic minority. Their failure to distinguish between useful criticism and mere complaints is staggering. One developer admitted that concerns were rarely discussed at higher levels and often swept under the rug at the project level. This “toxic positivity,” where everything is supposedly fine, suffocates any chance for meaningful improvement.
Ubisoft’s greatest failure is its inability to listen. Whether it’s about repetitive design, agenda-driven content, or cultural insensitivities, leadership brushes aside the very players who make or break their games.
The leadership crisis extends beyond Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Other titles, like Star Wars Outlaws, started off uninspired and safe. They lack grit and creativity. Then there’s XDefiant, Ubisoft’s foray into the shooter genre. It’s been a complete flop, losing 94% of its Xbox player base in just a few months. When the core mechanic of a shooter doesn’t work, the problem is obvious. But it gets worse. Many of the developers working on these shooters don’t even play FPS games themselves. That’s not just a problem—it’s embarrassing.
This isn’t just about buggy games and missed opportunities. It’s about a company actively strangling its own potential. Passionate, talented developers are being pushed away. They are gradually replaced by younger staff with little experience or vision. This high turnover cycle produces games full of bugs and lacking innovation. Creativity, ambition, and the drive to improve have been lost. In their place is a corporate mentality focused solely on financial targets, not player satisfaction.
Devs Are Walking on Eggshells Now
The overcorrection culture within Ubisoft isn’t helping either. In an effort to distance itself from the “boys club” rumors that surfaced during the #MeToo movement, the company has swung too far the other way. Developers now walk on eggshells, afraid to offend or push creative boundaries. Innovation for the sake of innovation has been replaced by safe content.
A much-needed debate about diversity hiring and representation has been reduced to optics rather than real change. One developer noted that Ubisoft’s push for diversity hasn’t created a more inclusive environment. Instead, it has stifled certain topics, strangling free expression and creativity.
When a company can’t even create attractive characters or portray a real criminal underworld for fear of offending someone, it’s clear they’ve lost the plot. Ubisoft’s games have become predictable, sanitized, and, worst of all, boring.
It’s So Over For Ubisoft
This is Ubisoft’s real tragedy. By rewarding mediocrity and punishing boldness, the company has created an environment where no one is willing to take risks. Leadership remains out of touch, developers are frustrated, and players are fed up. When was the last time Ubisoft truly pushed the boundaries of gaming? Today’s Ubisoft, once known for titles like Assassin’s Creed II and Far Cry 3, is a shadow of its former self. It’s buried in bureaucratic management, corporate spin, and an inability to listen to voices beyond its own echo chamber. To be fair, it’s not even about the racial controversies or the historical misrepresentation. Ubisoft just stopped making good games.