The company insists that they were making a game, not promoting an agenda.
At the annual Paris Games Week, Ubisoft gave a presentation on how it dealt with the wave of criticism directed at Assassin's Creed Shadows. The company talked about a strategy that, according to CEO Yves Guillemot, was aimed at trying to inspire Assassin's Creed fans to stand united in defense of the project and prove to all the haters that «Shadows is first and foremost a video game, not a message».
What happens after the announcement of one of the most anticipated projects in the legendary franchise? It turns into a game that everyone loves to hate? When do all the discussions shift from gameplay to ideology? When does every word you say only add fuel to the fire?
In September 2024, we found ourselves cornered, and that's when the epiphany came. To get out of the impasse, we had to stop focusing on those who hate us. We needed to inspire our allies. So we stopped trying to win the argument and leaned on what has carried us for 18 years: the Assassin’s Creed brand. — Ubisoft.
To this end, Ubisoft postponed the release of Shadows to «refine it, optimize it, and achieve the high standards that fans expect». At the same time, the company released extensive previews, focusing on elements close to fans: stealth, leaps of faith, and franchise lore.
The fans came back, the conversations started to change, and everyone who worked on the project and played it could be proud again. With allies by our side, we gained the confidence to stand tall, take risks, speak out — even against the loudest detractors.
