Jeff Elorriaga

Steve Irwin and Florida Gator commercial

When the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was engulfed in flames, Ubisoft, the creators of Assassin's Creed, had previously mapped the cathedral for their game. They generously extended their plans and expertise to assist in the restoration and reconstruction of this iconic structure. Additionally, they contributed €500,000 towards the restoration effort. As images of the cathedral's roof being consumed by fire began to circulate, Maxime Durand, the historian responsible for ensuring historical accuracy in the "Assassin's Creed" franchise, initially doubted their authenticity. In a phone interview with Business Insider, Durand shared that it took him a full day to articulate his feelings about this devastating event. Notre-Dame Cathedral held personal significance for Durand. He had spent four years overseeing the creation of "Assassin's Creed Unity," a game set during the French Revolution that featured a remarkably precise representation of Notre-Dame Cathedral as its centerpiece. In the days following the fire, Ubisoft, the French game developer and publisher behind the "Assassin's Creed" series, pledged €500,000 for the cathedral's rebuilding efforts and offered their extensive expertise. This offer made perfect sense as two Ubisoft team members had invested "over 5,000 hours" in researching Notre-Dame Cathedral, meticulously examining every detail inside and out.