„We had to stop focusing on those who hated us.” Ubisoft on its secret strategy to combat Assassin's Creed Shadows hate

During this year's edition of the Paris Games Week, Ubisoft held a video presentation discussing how they dealt with the backlash directed at Assassin's Creed: Shadows.

1. In a video shown at the expo, Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, talked about how things went totally crazy online after the game was officially announced. The creators felt cornered because they just wanted to talk about the gameplay, but instead, they got dragged into endless ideological debates.
2. A breakthrough in the company's approach occurred in September 2024. That's when the devs at Ubisoft realized that trying to talk to the biggest critics of Assassin's Creed: Shadows about its iconic aspects was pointless, because anything they said just made those people even angrier.
3. As a result, they decided to just ignore those people and focus on the fans of the series instead. With fans in mind, the creators decided to delay the game to polish it and regularly release extensive video materials discussing various aspects of the gameplay, as this was what most interested the dedicated fans of the brand.
4. This approach proved effective. Fans of the series were actively discussing the new info on Assassin's Creed: Shadows, and the vibe around the game got a lot more positive.

As Yves Guillemot put it:

Assassin's Creed: Shadows was released on March 20th this year on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5. Within a week of its release, the game attracted over 3 million players (including Ubisoft+ subscribers), making it the second-best debut in the brand's history.

Ubisoft isn't eager to fight similar battles

However, the fact that the company ultimately managed to emerge from these troubles unscathed does not mean it dares to fight such a battle again.

Last month, there were reports that Ubisoft canceled an Assassin's Creed game set during the Civil War and Reconstruction era. In the project, we were supposed to play as a former slave who goes back to the South and fights against the newly forming Ku Klux Klan. The company's management decided that the game tackled topics that were too controversial. The decision was influenced by the controversies surrounding the character Yasuke in AC: Shadows, as well as the current political climate in the USA.

1. Assassin's Creed: Shadows Review: Great combat and stealth, where plot plays it too safe
2. Assassin’s Creed: Shadows - guide

Assassin's Creed: Shadows

March 20, 2025

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• Ubisoft
• scandals and controversies
• Yves Guillemot
• Ubisoft Quebec
• Assassin's Creed (franchise)