He reported that he is amazed by the scale of misinformation that allegedly links these initiatives to the fall in shares. In reality, internal supporters of DEI did not have much power.
He added that DEI programs only improved the atmosphere in the studio and contributed to expansion into new markets, including South America and the Middle East.
The real problems, in his opinion, are related to a shortage of experienced managers, language and communication barriers, as well as a crisis of creativity and marketing. These factors led to a "great reset", the cancellation of six projects and the delay of seven others.
Shimoda warns: if Ubisoft uses DEI as a scapegoat to distract from strategic mistakes, it could lead to the company's collapse. Ignoring real problems in order to fight an ideology that did not affect the results will be fatal for the studio.