French video game giant Ubisoft is facing a crisis after its latest release, “Star Wars: Outlaws,” sparked controversy and tanked in sales. The game’s stock value plummeted 13 percent to a nine-year low, leaving the company reeling.
The trouble began when fans discovered that the game’s protagonist, Kay Vess, had undergone a makeover to appear more masculine, fueling concerns about the game’s focus on identity politics. Trailers showcasing Vess’s incredible strength despite her small stature only added to the perception that the game was pushing a “girlboss” agenda.
The writing team behind “Outlaws” didn’t help matters, with some members, including Nikki Foy and Youssef Maguid, having a history of promoting leftist ideologies and making inflammatory statements on social media. The game’s poor sales were all but inevitable, with some industry insiders reporting a 55 percent drop in launch sales compared to the previous “Star Wars” game.
The UK retail numbers are telling, with “Outlaws” selling fewer copies than a previous flop and less than half as many as a previous “Star Wars” title. The writing is on the wall: gamers are rejecting Ubisoft’s attempts to inject politics into their games.
But Ubisoft’s woes don’t stop there. The company’s upcoming “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” has already sparked outrage in Japan over its depiction of a black African samurai, prompting a groveling apology from the company. The game’s hiring of a consultant with a background in “liteary and pictorial representations of gender, sexuality, and…romantic relationships between Buddhist priests and adolescent boys” has only added to the controversy.
As a result, “Shadows” is shaping up to be another disaster for Ubisoft, with a recent gaming expo in Paris featuring a lackluster turnout at the game’s booth. The company’s brand is taking a beating, and it’s clear that something needs to change.
The data is clear: games that prioritize politics over gameplay are tanking, while non-woke titles are thriving. The success of “Black Myth: Wukong” is a prime example of what happens when developers focus on creating engaging games rather than pushing an agenda.
Ubisoft needs to take a hard look at its priorities and make some serious changes if it wants to avoid further financial damage. The choice is simple: ditch the woke politics and focus on making great games, or risk becoming irrelevant.
