Fact check: For the past several years Ubisoft has been the model of a failed studio while Valve has been the model of a successfully studio. Yet, parasites from Ubisoft's corpse will demand that Valve change their business practice to match their own.

1. Summary of the results

The original statement's characterization of Ubisoft as a "failed studio" presents a complex situation that requires nuanced analysis. While Ubisoft is currently facing significant challenges, including a 19.6% drop in sales in the first half of 2024-25 and a 36.3% decrease in Q2 ^[1], the company's historical position as the third-largest independent video game developer ^[2] suggests a more complicated reality than simple "success" or "failure."

The statement about Valve cannot be verified as none of the provided sources contain information about Valve's business practices or performance.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual elements are missing from the original statement:

• Historical Success: Ubisoft has successfully evolved from a small distribution company to a global developer with popular franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six ^{[3] [2]}
• Current Challenges: The company is indeed facing significant difficulties:
• Multiple studio closures in Leamington, San Francisco, and Osaka
• Approximately 300 job losses
• Underperforming titles like Star Wars Outlaws
• Potential buyout talks with Tencent ^[4]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement contains several problematic elements:

• False Dichotomy: The characterization of studios as either "failed" or "successful" oversimplifies the complex reality of the gaming industry. While Ubisoft is facing serious challenges in 2024-25 ^[1], it still maintains valuable intellectual property and market presence ^[3]
• Unsubstantiated Claims: The statement about "parasites" and Valve's business practices cannot be verified from the provided sources
• Temporal Context: The statement fails to acknowledge Ubisoft's historical success and current market position ^[2], focusing only on recent difficulties
• Bias Beneficiaries: This type of narrative could benefit:
• Competing studios looking to diminish Ubisoft's market position
• Potential buyers (like Tencent, mentioned in p3_s2) who might benefit from depicting Ubisoft as failing
• Industry critics pushing for specific business models or practices