“Former Ubisoft Employee Defends DEI Efforts Amid Claims of Impact on Assassin’s Creed Studio’s Share Prices”
A former Ubisoft employee has expressed his disbelief at the ongoing spread of misinformation, particularly the claim that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are to blame for the company’s declining stock prices. He asserts that DEI has actually brought positive changes to Ubisoft.
Recently, Ubisoft’s stock took a significant hit following the announcement of a “major reset,” which included the cancellation of six games and the postponement of seven others. Kensuke Shimoda, a former game designer at Ubisoft Osaka, took to Twitter to clarify that DEI efforts have not negatively impacted the company or its financial performance.
“I’m shocked that there are still people claiming ‘DEI is the reason why Ubisoft’s stock price fell,'” he stated, emphasizing that as a former employee, he can confirm that internal DEI advocates had limited influence. He added, “DEI has only improved things, such as creating a better workplace environment and expanding into South American and Middle Eastern markets.”
Shimoda does acknowledge that Ubisoft faces challenges, attributing the decline in marketing and creativity to what he calls “Big Business Syndrome,” a phenomenon that can affect any large company. He pointed out that there is a lack of upward mobility within the organization, resulting in insufficient leadership with experience in online, mobile, and free-to-play gaming.
He also highlighted the complexities of managing a global company that originated in a French-speaking environment, which has led to specific management issues for non-English speaking global firms.
He warned that if Ubisoft were to shift blame onto DEI advocates, it would spell trouble for the company. “If Ubisoft ignores the real issues and scapegoats DEI advocates, it could be the end for them.”
Shimoda has maintained this perspective for some time, previously tweeting that while some perceive Ubisoft as heavily invested in DEI, that perception is misleading. He pointed out that there is often a gap between actual DEI initiatives and the discussions surrounding them, particularly regarding games featuring Black or female leads and LGBTQ+ characters. He believes that fostering a better workplace environment is crucial, and blaming DEI efforts would be detrimental to both the company and its employees moving forward.
After six years of anticipation, multiple delays, and a complete reboot, the developers of the Prince of Persia remake have commented on its cancellation, stating, “We know this is deeply disappointing.”
