Assassin’s Creed Shadows, while being lauded for its unique Feudal Japan backdrop and innovative stealth elements, has also sparked concerns over its accuracy and representation of history, particularly in its portrayal of Yasuke, a real-life samurai who once served Oda Nobunaga during the Sengoku era.
Responding to worries of the “Japanese community,” the game's creators have given reassurances about their view on historical representation. They emphasize their deep admiration for Japanese history and culture and express their respect for its enriching legacy. They clarify that their objective was never to provide an absolute portrayal of history or historical figures in any of their games, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Rather, their intent is to inspire gamers to learn more about the historically influenced settings that they imbue their games with.
They also acknowledged that certain elements in their promotional content might have stirred anxiety among the Japanese community, extending a sincere apology for the same. This could refer to their unauthorized use of the Sekigahara Teppo-tai re-enactment group’s flag in their conceptual artwork. Ubisoft has shown regret over the matter and assured that the flag will not be used in the future. The group has also asked for the flag to be removed from the Collector's Edition's art book.
Furthermore, they revealed that while they have been consulting with a number of people throughout the development process of the game, those consultants are not responsible for the artistic decisions made by the creative teams in favor of gameplay and entertainment. They urged that any negative feedback should not be targeted at their collaborators.
Addressing concerns over Yasuke's portrayal in the game, they added, “Yasuke’s depiction as a samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been woven thoughtfully into our storyline. Along with our other protagonist, Naoe, the Japanese shinobi, our dual protagonists offer players diversified gameplay experiences."
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is all set for its launch on November 15th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Despite mild controversies, pre-orders are reportedly showing strong numbers.
