There’s no doubt that Ubisoft has had a tough time in the past few years. The publisher has been under fire, from Assassin’s Creed Unity’s numerous launch issues to Watch Dogs 2’s myriad of problems. But despite all these setbacks, Ubisoft is still a significant player in the video game industry. And its latest project, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, is set to be one of the year’s biggest releases.
Unfortunately for Ubisoft, things haven’t gone as planned. The game has been criticized for its broken and buggy gameplay mechanics. In addition, some players have found themselves unable to complete the game due to extensive walkthrough guides posted by other users. This backlash against Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands severely damaged Ubisoft’s reputation. And it may not be able to recover from this blow anytime soon. If you want to see more positive news from Ubisoft, steer clear of their social media pages.
Why is Ubisoft in Crisis?
Ubisoft is in a crisis because its shareholders are angry over missed targets and the company’s refusal to give good news. Angry shareholders have forced the company into making drastic changes in its management, including the resignation of CEO Yves Guillemot.
In May 2018, Ubisoft announced that it would miss its annual sales target by two million units. The following month, Guillemot resigned after shareholders criticized him for not giving enough good news about the company’s future. New CEO Iain Richardson has promised that the company will release new games more quickly and invest more in marketing and digital platforms.
However, some investors remain concerned about Ubisoft’s long-term prospects. In a letter to investors published on Ubisoft’s website, they warned that if the company does not improve its financial performance within three years, it will initiate a formal takeover proposal.
The Walkthrough Problem
Ubisoft is in Crisis. The publisher has been ridiculed for its “walkthrough problem.” Players are finding ways to skip through the game’s missions, and Ubisoft has had to release a patch to fix the issue.
The “walkthrough problem” began with Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Players discovered they could skip most of the game by following an online walkthrough. Ubisoft released a patch to fix the issue, but it was too late. Players had missed the game and learned how to do so before the patch was released. Players skipped through other games, including Far Cry 4 and Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
Ubisoft responded by releasing a video called “How To Skip Missions In Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.” However, this only made things worse. Many players found ways to bypass Ubisoft’s solutions, and the publisher’s reputation was damaged further.
Why is the Community so Angry?
The community is angry because Ubisoft released a walkthrough for their game, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, that gives away the game’s entire plot. The walkthrough was created by a YouTuber known as “The Alpha Tribesman” and has been shared on social media thousands of times. Many believe that Ubisoft should have waited until the game came out before releasing the walkthrough, as it has ruined the experience for those who have yet to play the game.
Some people are also angry because they feel that Ubisoft is trying to cash in on the success of their other games by releasing a walkthrough so early. They fear this will lead to a decline in sales for Odyssey, as people will not want to spend money on something they know how it ends.
Ubisoft Responds
Ubisoft’s financial performance has been in decline for a while now, with the company posting disappointing results for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2018. Amidst this poor performance, Ubisoft was recently ridiculed on a popular walkthrough YouTube channel.
The video in question is a playthrough of Far Cry 5, recorded using a walking-through guide. The walkthrough starts by giving players an excessive amount of help, eventually leading to the player taking complete control of the game’s protagonist at the very beginning. Ubisoft was mocked for its apparent lack of innovation and poor design choices.
Ubisoft responded to the criticism by saying it is “committed to providing gamers with high-quality content” and understands how its games can be used to “share experiences and connect with others.” The company also stressed that Far Cry 5 is an “open-world action-adventure game” and that it does not “[reflect] our values as an organization.”
Conclusion
The gaming community has criticized Ubisoft in Crisis for lack of content and unfinished features. Many users are finding that walkthroughs and other helpful content have been removed, rendering the game much harder to play than it should be. Gamers who have purchased Ubisoft in Crisis feel taken advantage of and are calling for a refund or more transparency from the developer.