Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has spoken out about the “malicious and personal online attacks” against his employees and partners, saying it is currently one of his biggest concerns in the gaming industry.
Guillemot gave an extensive interview, which was published on the website Ubisoft website on Thursday, speaking about a variety of topics including the future of Assassin’s Creed, XDefiant, and more. He was also asked what scares him about the industry right now, and in his response, he pointed specifically to online harassment.
“One of the things that worries me right now is the malicious and personal online attacks directed at some of our team members and partners,” Guillemot said. “I want to make it clear that we at Ubisoft condemn these hateful acts in the strongest terms possible, and I encourage the rest of the industry and gamers to condemn them as well.”
While Guillemot didn’t specifically mention Assassin’s Creed Shadows, his comments follow a backlash against the game’s male protagonist, a samurai based on the historical Black Samurai Yasuke. Some have dragged AC Shadows into ongoing harassment campaigns targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts on social media, which the International Game Developers Association (IDGA) condemned in a March statement.
As for what excites him about the gaming industry, Guillemot pointed to emerging technology: “If we as game developers can more quickly adopt and master technological advances like generative AI and the cloud, we will be much better equipped to create new, distinctive experience for players,” he said.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be released on November 12 for Ubisoft+ Premium owners or those who have purchased the Gold or Ultimate Edition, and will otherwise be available on November 15.
Alex Stedman is a senior news editor at IGN, overseeing entertainment coverage. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
