Ubisoft Has “Initiative From Canada” To Protect Assassin’s Creed Shadows Devs From Online Harassment

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Summary

  • With the state of online harassment, Ubisoft has decided to step in and help the team behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
  • A new plan has been implemented to negate the effects of online trolls and harassers.
  • This plan is especially important due to Shadows’ connection to political controversy.

While online harassment may seem like a non-issue for game developers, its scale has shifted to the point where it’s becoming increasingly disruptive. With some developers pointing out particularly cruel fanbases, online harassment has become a legitimate issue for many teams.

Focus on the ongoing debate surrounding the latest installment of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which gained attention due to a comment from Elon Musk. In this instance, Musk dismissed the game’s characters by stating, “Death ends all creativity.

A new wave of open criticism and cyberbullying emerged around this subject as the two main characters sparked heated debates online about inclusivity and representation.

In response to this, the French site BFMTV, translated through resetera forums, reported that an “Initiative from Canada” has been created for the team at Ubisoft working on Shadows to protect them from waves of potential online harassment.

While many may consider this an overreaction to innocuous online trolls, Ubisoft is valid for taking this problem seriously, as they’d be foolish to allow their development team to deal with waves of online harassment with no support.

According to the translated source, the exact protection installed is “a team that monitors networks and acts quickly in the event of a targeted attack.” This means scrubbing sites like X and Reddit for potential events of targeted harassment and shutting them down before they have time to impact developers.

Employees have also been “advised not to post on social media that we work at Ubisoft to avoid harassment.” This is probably the most straightforward way the developers can avoid harassment online: by simply refusing to engage to begin with.

Additionally, it was promoted that “psychological and legal support is promised to employees who are targeted,” meaning Ubisoft has supplementary plans to help those who may be impacted.

While it’s upsetting to see such a large and talented team have to essentially go undercover for their work, given the recent climate of online harassment campaigns and the massive unrest around DEI and AAA work culture, this protection was almost needed to protect employees.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Debate Explained

As a follower of diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) discussions, it’s been quite challenging to navigate the latest developments, particularly when they intertwine with political campaigns and figures like Elon Musk who often stir controversy.

The big point of contention with Shadows is that its dual protagonists are presented outwardly as inclusive characters. Online harassers, fueled by this debate, may target developers because of this.

As Musk proclaimed, some believe there is a divide between inclusivity and art: external factors may damage a good game. This point isn’t entirely unfounded, as there are genuine disputes, such as whether dual protagonists are a good choice for the next Assassin’s Creed game.

Many types of art and culture are rooted in political and social beliefs. Some of the most impactful gaming experiences showcase diverse, welcoming characters and complex political themes that significantly enhance the narrative.

But most importantly, whichever side of the DEI debate you’re on, you can’t deny that online targeting is sickening. In fact, developers who are often unconnected to any decision-making within companies are frequently harassed because of choices from directors and producers.

It’s heartening to observe companies such as Ubisoft taking action by positioning themselves between employees and abusive players, offering substantial assistance to those who create the games we love.

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2025-03-18 01:44