Ubisoft alleges poor game sales are due to gamer preferences, Steam market trends, and external factors, rather than their own practices.
Ubisoft, the renowned video game publisher, has been making headlines lately for reasons other than positive ones. The latest controversies surround the releases of Star Wars: Outlaws and Assassin's Creed: Shadows, with gamers expressing their disapproval through organized campaigns of criticism.
Star Wars: Outlaws, launched in late 2024, faced technical and performance issues, as well as gameplay mechanics like instant failed stealth missions that gamers disliked. Despite heavy marketing and development investments, the game underperformed commercially, leading to Ubisoft's financial struggles and restructuring decisions. This included closing its Leamington studio and restructuring several other European studios, resulting in layoffs of approximately 185 employees in early 2025.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows, released in 2025, has been heavily criticized for its monetization model. Despite a $70 upfront cost, players must spend additional premium currency to unlock cosmetic items that in prior series entries would have been obtained through gameplay. This aggressive use of microtransactions has fueled accusations that Ubisoft prioritizes monetization over player experience.
Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, stated that Star Wars: Outlaws was released at a time when the brand was in "choppy waters." However, this doesn't seem to be the case for another Star Wars game, Battlefront 2, which has seen a resurgence in recent months.
Meanwhile, The Mandalorian, Rogue One, and Andor have received massive praise from Star Wars fans, raising questions about the quality of Ubisoft's Star Wars offerings.
Ubisoft's approach to player feedback and microtransactions has been a source of controversy. The company's 2025 financial report revealed that they describe engagement with player concerns as "hostile attacks" and admit to designing games to maximize spending retention psychologically rather than focusing on fun. This has contributed to a collapse of trust with fans, amplified by Ubisoft deleting previously purchased games and mocking game ownership.
The company has also faced intense criticism regarding corporate culture and diversity representation. Issues like the portrayal of the Black samurai character in Assassin's Creed Shadows sparked contentious debates during Q&A at shareholder meetings.
Moreover, Ubisoft announced a new NFT-based game in 2025, reigniting controversy over its blockchain gaming ventures. This has worried long-time fans who question if the company is chasing outdated trends rather than focusing on meaningful player experiences.
As Ubisoft works on another battle royale game after cancelling Heartland, it remains to be seen how they will navigate these challenges and regain the trust of their player base.
The author invites readers to share their thoughts on Ubisoft's recent comments and actions. Despite the current negative sentiment, the author hopes that their enjoyment of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege X and plans to play Descenders Next will alleviate their negative opinion of Ubisoft.
- Gamers have criticized Ubisoft for technical issues in the PC version of Star Wars: Outlaws, which was released in late 2024.
- Microsoft's Xbox division has faced scrutiny for updating Windows store policies, making it difficult for gamers to find and purchase PC games from other publishers.
- Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, announced the development of a new PC gaming gadget, promising improved gaming experiences and direct competition for established smartphone and technology brands.
- Ubisoft's disregard for player feedback and aggressive monetization strategies have led to a decline in its market share in the Xbox and PC gaming sectors, but the company remains optimistic about the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed: Shadows on Microsoft's next-gen console, Project Scarlett.
- Ubisoft has faced widespread criticism for its lack of representation in diversity and inclusion, with gamers and industry insiders raising concerns about the portrayal of characters in popular franchises like Aisha from Assassin's Creed and the Black samurai in Assassin's Creed: Shadows.
