“We’re exposed.” Ubisoft believes they’re victims of organized campaigns to damage their reputation. “Ubisoft is exposed to risks of damage to its reputation.”

Ubisoft finds itself in a peculiar situation. While the company has released good titles in recent years, it’s also true that it has faced criticism due to several of its productions not being up to par, such as Star Wars Outlaws. Today, gamers are more demanding than ever, not only with performance, but also with content and experience. This evolution in user expectations has affected Ubisoft to some extent, or so the company’s top boss believes.

The Public’s Negative Trend Towards Ubisoft

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has identified a worrying new trend in the video game market that is impacting the company. In a recent meeting with investors, the head of the French company noted that massive criticism is a “high” business risk factor. While Guillemot asserts that the success of a video game depends on its development and release, it also affects “players’ sensitivity to the quality and content of games.”

“Ubisoft is exposed to the risk of reputational damage as a result of online ‘bashing,’ understood as campaigns of criticism against its products, teams, or public statements. These campaigns can occur on social networks, content distribution platforms, or in certain specialized media, particularly following strategic decisions or technical issues affecting the games,” the company explained (via Gamesradar).

Furthermore, the Ubisoft CEO highlighted that the growing perception of the video game industry as a cultural and artistic medium is leading to an increase in criticism based on “ideological or social considerations,” sometimes even above technical or gameplay aspects. This trend increases the risk of publishers like Ubisoft being exposed to controversies related to “cultural, moral, or identity standards” associated with their productions. These statements come at a time when Assassin’s Creed Shadows has reached 5 million players after facing months of controversy in Japan.

Source: 3djuegos