French publishing giant Ubisoft has reportedly implemented a "anti-harassment plan" for developers during the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows. 

That's according to an anonymous source from the firm, who spoke to French media outfit BFMTV – as reported and translated by PCGamesN – saying that the company is discouraging staff from posting anything on social media during the game's release. 

“We’re advised not to post on social media that we work at Ubisoft to avoid harassment,” they said. 

“It’s an initiative from Canada. There’s a team that monitors networks and acts quickly in the event of a targeted attack. Unlike what we’ve had before, this is serious.”

Posts on Twitter and Reddit, as well as videos on YouTube are being "closely monitored by a dedicated unit in order to respond quickly to the slightest problem. Lawyers are already ready to file complaints in the event of proven harassment.”

Asked for comment, Ubisoft said that its staff's social media was their own, but said that it wanted to keep staff safe. 

"Our top priority is the safety of our employees, including online, which is why, as a standard practice across Ubisoft, we offer guidance on navigating social media, digital safety, and support for team members’ well-being," a rep for the company said.  

"We also share resources to help prevent and protect against online harassment, something our teams have unfortunately faced.”