UbisoftUbisoft is reportedly seeking to protect Assassin’s Creed Shadows developers from bad actors online by collaborating with an employee-elected committee on an “anti-harassment plan.”
AC Shadows became mired in controversy following the May 2024 reveal due to its dual protagonists – the fictional female shinobi Naoe and the historical figure Yasuke.
A contingent of outspoken critics have labeled it a “DEI” or “woke” game, all while questioning the legitimacy of depicting Yasuke, a man of African origin, as a samurai.
The game’s marketing has also come under fire for “insensitive” imagery. In October 2024, collectible manufacturer PureArts pulled a Yasuke and Naoe figure from sale due to its use of a one-legged torii gate as the backdrop.
Ubisoft attempts to protect AC Shadows devs on social media
Since unpleasant rhetoric has inundated online discourse about the next Assassin’s Creed, it appears Ubisoft is preparing developers for a wave of backlash.
As reported by French publication BFMTV (via PCGamesN), Ubisoft is working alongside a Social and Economic Committee (comité social et économique), an employee-elected group, to implement an “anti-harassment plan.”
Such news comes by way of an anonymous Ubisoft staffer who told BFMTV, according to Google translate, “We are advised not to post on social networks that we work at Ubisoft to avoid harassment.”
UbisoftThis preemptive action represents a response to the already tense online atmosphere surrounding AC Shadows, which has been targeted by certain social media users and content creators.
This means there’s a team dedicated to monitoring online forums like Reddit, X, and YouTube that will be ready to act in the event of serious offenses.
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Ubisoft provided Dexerto with the following statement on the matter:
“Our stance has always been that team members’ social media channels are their own. Our top priority is the safety of our employees, including online, which is why, as a standard practice across Ubisoft, we offer guidance on navigating social media, digital safety, and support for team members’ well-being. We also share resources to help prevent and protect against online harassment, something our teams have unfortunately faced.”
Separate from these concerns, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is under pressure to perform well for Ubisoft given the publisher’s ongoing financial woes.
A Bloomberg report claims the struggling company is in talks with potential investors, the likes of which include Tencent, to establish a new business venture that would manage major properties such as Assassin’s Creed.
