Ubisoft Faces Employee Concerns Over Saudi-Backed Assassin’s Creed Mirage DLC

Sagar Mankar
12 hours ago
2 min read

Ubisoft’s next story expansion for Assassin’s Creed Mirage is set in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla region, but the announcement has stirred internal pushback due to its funding ties with the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Assassin’s Creed Mirage DLC

The DLC was first mentioned back in January by French outlet Les Échos, which reported that funding came from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). At the time, Ubisoft declined to comment on the claims.

Fast forward to late August, and the publisher quietly confirmed the content in a weekend social media post, revealing that Mirage’s protagonist, Basim, would journey to AlUla, a UNESCO World Heritage location in Saudi Arabia. Ubisoft confirmed that the DLC will include:

A new story chapter and missions in 9th-century AlUla
Gameplay improvements to the base game and a new area
A free release for all Mirage players later this year

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot later introduced the expansion at Saudi Arabia’s New Global Sport Conference, held in Riyadh, highlighting its cultural and historical focus. He also hinted that Mirage “is not the end” of their partnerships in the Middle East, as they are collaborating with "several parties in the region."

Concerns Over Saudi Partnership

This financial backing has raised questions among Ubisoft employees, as reported by GameFile (via IGN). The PIF, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, has faced international scrutiny due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and its connection to the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In an internal Q&A session with Ubisoft staff, one employee directly asked if partnering with Saudi Arabia risked damaging the company’s reputation. Ubisoft’s management responded by framing Guillemot’s visits to Saudi Arabia, including one alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, as part of broader diplomatic and business outreach. The company also attempted to separate the PIF from the country’s political leadership, stating: “The latter’s money is not MBS’s, and talking with partners who do not share our democratic values does not mean abandoning them.”

Still, the answer hasn’t erased doubts inside the company. For many employees, the partnership raises difficult questions about Ubisoft’s image and how fans might respond to the association.

Looking Ahead

For now, Ubisoft has confirmed that the AlUla DLC will be free for all Mirage owners and will release later in 2025. The company is betting that the allure of exploring a new historical region, built with archaeological input, will outweigh any controversy around its funding sources.