Okay, Ubisoft. We Need To Talk.

Summary

The video discusses Ubisoft's current challenges in the gaming industry, highlighting the controversy surrounding 'Assassin's Creed Shadows'. It criticizes Ubisoft's management, the ineffectiveness of diversity consultants, and the company's hiring practices. The speaker urges the gaming industry to prioritize competent and passionate game development, and to avoid the pitfalls of incompetence and poor representation.

Takeaways

• 🚫 Ubisoft has cancelled its participation in the Tokyo Game Show and stopped distribution of press preview copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows.
• 🗑️ The game's merchandise featuring a destroyed Torri Gate caused controversy due to its association with the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
• 👎 Criticism is directed at diversity consultants and history experts for failing to prevent cultural insensitivity in the game's design.
• 📉 The video suggests that Ubisoft's management and development practices are flawed, leading to a lack of competent products.
• 💸 The use of diversity consultants is criticized for adding unnecessary cost without providing value to the game's development.
• 🔍 The video highlights the failure of diversity initiatives in accurately representing cultural topics and values.
• 👥 The speaker criticizes the hiring practices of Ubisoft and similar companies for excluding certain groups and promoting extremism.
• 📉 Ubisoft's stock value is falling, and the company is accused of using bots to create a false sense of positivity.
• 💪 The video encourages game developers to focus on creating quality games and assures them of support from the gaming community.
• ✋ A call to action for gamers to be mindful of 'friendly fire' and to differentiate between the problems of incompetence and the diversity of the gaming community.

Q & A

Why did Ubisoft cancel its participation in the Tokyo Game Show?

Ubisoft canceled its participation in the Tokyo Game Show due to the controversy surrounding the Assassin's Creed Shadows game, which included the depiction of a destroyed Torri Gate, evoking memories of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki during World War II.

What was the issue with the press preview copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows?

Ubisoft reportedly canceled the distribution of press preview copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows, possibly due to the negative backlash and controversy the game was facing.

What cultural insensitivity is highlighted in the script regarding Assassin's Creed Shadows?

The script points out the cultural insensitivity in the game's depiction of a destroyed Torri Gate, which is associated with the tragic history of the atomic bombing in Nagasaki, Japan.

What role did diversity consultants play in the development of Assassin's Creed Shadows, according to the script?

The script criticizes the role of diversity consultants, suggesting that they failed to provide value to the game and contributed to a product that was culturally insensitive and offensive to the Japanese people.

What are the three lessons the script suggests the gaming industry should learn from Ubisoft's situation?

The script suggests three lessons: 1) The need for better management in brand development and marketing, 2) The failure of diversity consultants to add value to the game, and 3) The issue with hiring practices that exclude certain groups and favor others without regard to competence.

How does the script describe the management of Ubisoft?

The script describes the management of Ubisoft as lacking vision and ability, which is indicative of a broader issue in the entertainment industry where insufficient management is sabotaging commercial viability.

What is the script's view on the effectiveness of diversity consultants in the gaming industry?

The script views diversity consultants as ineffective, having failed to contribute positively to the game's development and instead causing harm to the cultural landscape.

What criticism does the script level at development teams composed of diverse individuals?

The script criticizes such teams for failing to meet basic competence levels and for producing products that are not only functionally inadequate but also disrespectful to their customers.

How does the script characterize the individuals hired through mentorship programs and specific hiring practices at Ubisoft?

The script characterizes these individuals as radicalized extremists who are self-absorbed and incapable of accepting criticism or improving, leading to products that are detrimental to the company and the industry.

What is the script's stance on the role of diversity in the gaming industry?

The script argues that the problem is not with diversity itself, but with incompetent individuals who lack life experience and understanding of the real world, and who are given roles they are ill-suited for.

What advice does the script offer to fellow game developers and publishers?

The script advises game developers and publishers to focus on producing good games they are passionate about, reassuring them that gamers will support quality work despite threats from diversity consultants.

Outlines

00:00

🚩 Ubisoft's Missteps and Industry Critique

The paragraph discusses the current state of Ubisoft in the gaming industry, focusing on the controversy surrounding 'Assassin's Creed Shadows'. Ubisoft has cancelled its Tokyo Game Show participation and halted the distribution of press preview copies. The game's merchandise features a destroyed Torri gate, which is criticized for being insensitive to the historical destruction caused by the atomic bomb in Nagasaki during World War II. The speaker argues that Ubisoft's diversity consultants and development teams have failed to represent Japanese culture accurately and have caused harm. They also criticize the company's management, hiring practices, and the use of bots to manipulate public opinion. The paragraph ends with a call for the industry to learn from Ubisoft's failures and to focus on producing quality games without succumbing to the pressures of diversity consultants.

05:02

📉 The Consequences of Incompetence in Gaming

This paragraph delves into the consequences of Ubisoft's alleged incompetence and the impact on their stock value. It suggests that the company's messaging has been out of touch and dishonest, particularly in response to the backlash from Japan and the global community. The speaker criticizes the company for employing bots to create a false sense of positivity and to attack critics. They argue that the problem is not with diversity or budget but with incompetent individuals who lack life experience and understanding of the real world. The paragraph concludes with a plea to fellow game developers and publishers to focus on creating good games and to stand against the threats from diversity consultants. The speaker also asks gamers to be careful with 'friendly fire' and to recognize that the real problem lies with incompetence and bad human beings, not with diversity or minority groups.

Keywords

💡Ubisoft

Ubisoft is a leading company in the video game industry, known for developing and publishing a wide range of popular titles. In the context of the video, Ubisoft is discussed in relation to its recent decisions, such as canceling participation in the Tokyo Game Show and the implications this might have on its upcoming game releases. This decision is seen as a significant event in the gaming industry and could potentially impact the company's public image and the reception of its new games like 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' [^4^].

💡Assassin's Creed Shadows

'Assassin's Creed Shadows' is an upcoming installment in the highly popular Assassin's Creed franchise developed by Ubisoft. The game is mentioned in the video as a central point of discussion, with concerns about its historical accuracy and cultural representation, as well as the recent cancellation of its press previews. These events have led to speculation about potential launch delays and the overall state of Ubisoft's development and marketing strategies [^6^].

💡Tokyo Game Show

The Tokyo Game Show is an annual event that showcases the latest in video game products and trends. In the script, Ubisoft's cancellation of its scheduled participation in the Tokyo Game Show is highlighted as a significant move that might be related to the company's recent controversies or strategic shifts. This decision could impact how Ubisoft's games are perceived and covered by the media and the gaming community [^4^].

💡Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity refers to the ability to be aware of and respect the cultural differences and perspectives of others. In the video, the concept is discussed in the context of Ubisoft's portrayal of Japanese history and culture in 'Assassin's Creed Shadows'. The company has faced criticism for its perceived insensitivity, which has led to questions about the role of diversity consultants and the importance of accurate cultural representation in video games [^4^].

💡Diversity Consultant

A diversity consultant is a professional who helps organizations to promote diversity and inclusion. In the video, the role of diversity consultants at Ubisoft is criticized, suggesting that they have failed to provide value or accurate cultural representation in 'Assassin's Creed Shadows'. This points to a broader discussion about the effectiveness and necessity of such roles within the gaming industry and how they can contribute to more inclusive and respectful game development [^4^].

💡Press Preview

A press preview is an event where members of the media are given early access to a product, in this case, a video game, before its official release. The cancellation of the press preview for 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' is noted in the video as an unusual move that could indicate last-minute changes or concerns about the game's reception. This decision might affect how the game is reviewed and discussed in the lead-up to its release [^6^].

💡Game Development

Game development is the process of creating a video game from concept to final product. The video discusses the challenges and failures in Ubisoft's game development process, particularly in relation to 'Assassin's Creed Shadows'. It suggests that there are issues with management, cultural representation, and the inclusion of diverse perspectives in development teams, which can impact the quality and reception of the final game [^4^].

💡Management

In the context of the video, management refers to the leadership and decision-making processes within Ubisoft. The script suggests that there is insufficient vision and ability within the company's management, which may be contributing to the company's current challenges. This includes decisions related to game development, marketing, and public relations, such as the cancellation of the Tokyo Game Show participation and press previews [^4^].

💡Backlash

Backlash refers to a strong negative reaction from the public or a section of it. The video discusses the backlash Ubisoft has faced due to the perceived inaccuracies and insensitivity in 'Assassin's Creed Shadows'. This backlash can have significant consequences for the company's reputation and the commercial success of the game, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity and effective communication with the gaming community [^4^].

💡Stock Value

Stock value refers to the market value of a company's outstanding shares of stock. The video mentions Ubisoft's stock value plummeting, which could be an indicator of the company's financial performance and investor confidence. The decline in stock value may be related to the company's recent controversies and decisions, suggesting that these issues are having a tangible impact on Ubisoft's business [^4^].

Highlights

Ubisoft's current state in the games industry and recent events affecting it.

Ubisoft cancels participation in the Tokyo Game Show and reportedly cancels press preview copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Public merchandise for Assassin's Creed Shadows features a destroyed Torii gate, evoking memories of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki.

Criticism of diversity consultants and history experts for failing to represent Japanese culture accurately.

The failure of diversity consultants to add value to the game's development budget.

Development teams at Ubisoft are criticized for lacking competence and cultural understanding.

Mentorship programs and hiring practices at Ubisoft are accused of excluding certain groups.

Ubisoft is accused of employing radicalized extremists in their development teams.

The claim that these individuals are incapable of accepting they are wrong or improving.

Ubisoft's stock value is plummeting due to management and development issues.

Ubisoft's messaging is described as out of touch and dishonest, especially regarding backlash from Japan.

Allegations of Ubisoft using bots to create false positivity and attack critics online.

Advice to game developers and publishers to focus on making good games despite diversity consultant threats.

A call to gamers to be careful with 'friendly fire' and not to blame women, gay people, or people of color for the industry's problems.

The video ends with a request for viewers to support game developers who are passionate about their work.

Transcripts

thank you for joining me in this video I

will explain the current state of

Ubisoft in the games industry and the

events and Trends in the industry that

have led to this

outcome many events have transpired

regarding Assassin's Creed Shadows from

Ubisoft most recently Ubisoft has canell

its scheduled participation in the Tokyo

game show taking place between September

26 to September 29 Ubisoft has also

reportedly cancelled the distribution of

press preview copies of Assassin's Creed

Shadows Ubisoft has made public

merchandise for Assassin's Creed Shadows

depicting a destroyed Tory gate to

celebrate the diverse characters of the

software title in

question the image of a destroyed Tory

gate evokes the memory of Destruction

caused by the atomic bomb detonating in

Nagasaki during World War

II now you may be forgiven for not

knowing this if you are not a Japanese

person if you are a Westerner it is not

Beyond reason for you to be unfamiliar

with this important cultural

information however if you claim to

represent Japanese culture and history

if you claim to be a diversity

consultant or history expert you have

failed at your job disastrously on a

fundamental level and it is clear you

are ill suited to working in this

professional

capacity it was the job of diversity

Consultants supposed history experts and

entire development teams comprised of

diverse inclusive individuals to save

the world with their virtuous

Crusade but what good have they done so

far is the world any more united or

accepting since their Crusade

began it has become increasingly clear

to the world that these individuals are

failing on even the most basic level not

just as game developers but as

well-adjusted and decent human

beings what can we learn from this

situation how did this outcome

eventuate there are three very important

lessons we must learn from ubisoft's

failures here through ubisoft's fall the

rest of the games industry can learn and

perform course Corrections where

necessary first the management in charge

of ubisoft's brand development and

marketing lacks the vision and ability

to run a multi-million doll company

sufficiently insufficient management is

something we are seeing across numerous

entertainment Industries today as we

watch Major Brands and companies

sabotage their own commercial

viability second in regards to

Assassin's Creed Shadows the usage of

diversity Consultants failed to

sufficiently provide anything of value

to the end product thus creating an

added cost to the development budget

with negative benefit the usage of

diversity consultants in this game

resulted in a product that neither

accurately nor appropriately addresses

the topics which it claims are its

points of value and most meaningful

features and instead caused harm to our

cultural landscape and inflicted insult

upon the people of

Japan third in regard to a Assassin's

Creed shadows and other major titles

either launched or announced recently

development teams comprised of diverse

individuals who are only allowed to be

female or identify with special pronouns

are producing products that fail to meet

the most basic level of

competence Ubisoft and other large

development companies are running

mentorship programs and conducting

hiring practices specifically to exclude

males and are only hiring very specific

kinds of

individuals while there may be

individuals out there working in good

faith who are appropriate for the role

in which they function these mentorship

and hiring practices are bringing a

specific group of people to flood the

entertainment

industry Ubisoft and similar companies

are building their teams using

radicalized extremists who grew up and

live day to day in an internet Echo

chamber of hatred where they celebrate

destroying the liveses of people based

on gender and personal views and using

marginalized people as human Shields to

protect themselves from

criticism these people are not capable

of ever accepting that they are wrong

these people are not capable of growing

and improving and these people will not

be performance reviewed as they take 8

years and $400 million to produce a

product that became nothing more more

than a noose around the neck of its

publisher these people have clearly

shown themselves to lack the life

experience needed to create meaningful

art and the competence to make a

functional product that does not spit in

the face of its

customers but how can they gain life

experience how can they learn meaningful

lessons from their lives when they are

so busy sitting at home posting 63

tweets every day that does take a

tremendous amount of effort are these

the people you want to teach your kids

about tolerance and

understanding people who throw tantrums

and cry when they receive even the most

basic workplace feedback are these the

people you want to share your workplace

with people who actively set out to

destroy your life if you don't blindly

parrot their supremacist idiot logical

views these people do not care about

other people despite the fact that they

claim to represent an Ever growing list

of check

boxes they are so far self-absorbed in

their own world of self- congratulation

they cannot see the harm they are

causing to the world around them and the

destruction they bring to the industries

in which they have taken jobs which they

are clearly ill suited for the problem

is not budget the problem is not bigotry

the problem is not diversity

the problem is incompetent people who

lack life experience and any

understanding of the actual World in

which we live the problem is ill-willed

individuals being handed roles in

entertainment Industries taking away

opportunities from people who are

significantly better suited for those

roles Ubisoft has blatantly communicated

out of touch and dishonest messaging in

regards to backlash from Japan and the

global

Community Ubisoft has employed the use

of bots in an attempt to build a false

sense of positivity toward their

marketing material and attack people

online who bring to light ubisoft's

incompetence and insults toward

Japan ubisoft's stock value continues to

plummet if highlevel management does not

change if the hiring practices and

development teams do not change this

stock evaluation Trend will continue and

Ubisoft will

fall to my fellow game developers and

Publishers out there allow me to

reassure you and share my confidence

with you no matter how much a diversity

consultant threatens you you have

nothing to fear as long as you focus on

producing good games that you care about

and you're passionate about we your

fellow Gamers will have your back and we

will support you we've got

you and if any of those diversity

Consultants threaten you again you tell

me about it and I'll handle

it to my fellow

Gamers I must humble myself as I make a

request of you I cannot tell you what to

do I can only ask and I ask

this please be careful with Friendly

Fire women are not the problem gay

people are not the problem people of

color are not the problem these are your

fellow Gamers your people they are on

your side and we are all in this

together the problem is incompetence and

bad human beings it is that simple and

lastly I want to thank you thank you all

for getting

comfortable thank you for getting

comfortable not owning ubisoft's games