Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be released this week, ushering in a new generation of Ubisoft’s open-world flagship franchise. In the run-up to the game’s release, the title (and Ubisoft itself) has been criticised numerous times for historical inaccuracy and faced intense backlash from ‘anti-woke’ grifters.
It was recently claimed by sources speaking to a French outlet that Ubisoft has prepared an anti-harassment plan, and that lawyers stand at the ready to pursue anyone attacking the company’s employees on social media.
Preparing for the Inevitable
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has already faced mass blowback, which has almost always been related to Yasuke, the African samurai representing one-half of the game’s dual protagonist operating model.
Ubisoft is no stranger to facing aggression online at the hands of keyboard warriors, but the chatter around Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been much more volatile than with any other game in the series.
In the report from BFMTV, it was claimed by unnamed Ubisoft employees that an anti-harassment plan has been presented to the CSE in Canada – the Communications Security Establishment:
It’s an initiative from Canada. There’s a team that monitors networks and acts quickly in the event of a targeted attack. Unlike what we’ve had before, this is serious.
Messages posted by internet users on X, Reddit, or even videos on YouTube will be closely monitored by a dedicated unit in order to respond quickly to the slightest problem.
Lawyers are already ready to file complaints in the event of proven harassment.
Another claim stressed that Ubisoft has ordered a social media blackout of sorts, advising employees to not mention that they work at the company online to avoid harassment.
In a statement handed to PCGamesN, Ubisoft’s representatives backed up the initiative to keep employees safe but didn’t mention the specific plan:
Our stance has always been that team members’ social media channels are their own. Our top priority is the safety of our employees, including online, which is why, as a standard practice across Ubisoft, we offer guidance on navigating social media, digital safety, and support for team members’ well-being.
We also share resources to help prevent and protect against online harassment, something our teams have unfortunately faced.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be released worldwide on March 20. Stay tuned, because later today, my full review of the game will go live and you can get my full impression.
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