👋 Assassin's Creed Shadows is facing significant challenges at Ubisoft, with sources revealing troubling insights about its development and the company's direction.

🗓️ The current placeholder release date for Shadows is February 2025, as Ubisoft is scrambling for key talent to assist with a Q2 game release. This may lead to further delays.

👤 Originally, there was a male Japanese protagonist, but he was replaced by Yasuke due to sociopolitical influences, particularly the Black Lives Matter movement. Ubisoft believed this change would appeal to modern audiences.

📉 Pre-orders for Shadows are alarmingly low, at only 7% of the pre-orders for Valhalla during the same period, with only 800 physical pre-orders reported.

💰 Shadows is set to be the most microtransaction-heavy title in the franchise, with numerous DLCs planned at launch.

🎶 The game will remove rap music associated with Yasuke, as it was deemed inappropriate for the historical setting.

🔄 Ubisoft is reportedly shifting its focus to games featuring female protagonists and diversity, aiming to minimize the presence of white male characters.

⚠️ There are claims of a significant talent drain at Ubisoft, with many key developers leaving, leading to a reliance on junior staff and outsourcing.

🛑 The game industry is experiencing a culture of "toxic positivity," where dissenting opinions are suppressed, and identity politics dominate development decisions.

🚨 Ubisoft's future projects, including Assassin's Creed Hex, are expected to heavily feature female characters and themes, with little masculine presence.

💔 The failure of Skull and Bones is cited as a major reason for Ubisoft's current struggles, with an estimated budget of $650 to $850 million over ten years.

🌌 Star Wars Outlaws was initially envisioned as a major franchise akin to Red Dead Redemption but has faced internal disappointment regarding its reception.

📊 Ubisoft's marketing strategies may soon include deceptive tactics to present their games as less politically charged, despite the actual content remaining unchanged.

🔍 The gaming industry is reportedly in a state of crisis, with many studios prioritizing identity politics over quality and creativity.

📅 The future of Ubisoft remains uncertain, with potential bailouts needed to keep the company afloat.

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