Many of us remember Ubisoft as it once was. A team brimming with passion and creativity that churned out some of the industry's most beloved games, seemingly turning everything they touched into gold during the first decade of the 21st century.
From Assassin's Creed to Far Cry, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Splinter Cell, Rayman, and Prince of Persia, to name a few. But in recent years, that image has crumbled and the criticism has been scathing, not only from gamers and the press, but also internally.
In an interview, a former Ubisoft employee (who chooses to remain anonymous) talks about how the studio lost both direction and trust, and at the same time argues that the disgust many gamers feel for them today is also reflected internally. Many of those who work there actively hate their workplace and its culture.
He says:
"It's tough to imagine Ubisoft making a big hit again. Tough but quite far from impossible. They are now hated by a large part of the public for a decade of disappointing releases, hated by many of its own developers."
According to the source, the problems are largely related to leadership and recurring production issues, where the company has repeatedly failed to identify and break the destructive patterns that arise time and time again. In many cases, the consequences have fallen on the developers themselves, while responsibility higher up in the organisation has been more diffuse.
However, he believes that even though it is difficult to see Ubisoft turning the ship around today, especially under the current management, a comeback is possible. After all, the company still has a collection of incredible brands and a wealth of talent.
What do you think needs to happen for Ubisoft to get its problems under control?