‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Dev Team Responds To Criticisms From Japanese Players, Claim Yasuke’s Samurai Status Is “A Matter Of Debate And Discussion”
In response to the absolutely massive wave of backlash directed towards those players from the Land of the Rising Sun, the Ubisoft dev team currently working on Assassin’s Creed Shadows has apologized for the fact that “some elements” of the game’s promotional material have “caused concern within the Japanese community”.
As previously reported – and extensively covered by BIC contributor Cider Hype on our YouTube channel – the next entry in Ubisoft’s long-running historical fiction series has drawn the ire of some Japanese players due to the very noted historical and cultural errors seen throughout its production.
These include various in-game buildings featuring Chinese rather than Japanese architecture, a servant being depicted as sitting on the same stage as Oda Nobunaga himself (an act which would have been seen as a massive disrespect and resulted in the servant’s execution), and, of course, the insistence that the historical African transplant known as Yasuke was not just a retainer to Nobunaga, but rather a full-blown samurai.
In response to this ongoing outrage, the Shadows dev team took to the game’s official Twitter account on July 23rd to both apologize for having caused offense and also defend their creative vision.
“First, we want to express out heartfelt thanks for all your support for the Assassin’s Creed series which now has its own history spanning almost 20 years,” began the team’s lengthy statement. “Over time, we have explored various settings, time periods, and characters, from an Assassin during the Third Crusade to a Viking in 9th century England, and countless more.”
“For many of our team, creating an Assassin’s Creed game set in Feudal Japan has been a long-cherished dream,” it continued. “Since the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we have received many positive reactions, but also some criticism including from you, our Japanese players. We share your passion for history and deeply respect your care for the historical and cultural integrity of your rich heritage. We would like to address a few points to clarify our intentions and creative decisions.”
Starting with their “overall authenticity efforts”, the team explained, “We have put significant effort into ensuring an immersive and respectful representation of Feudal Japan. However, our intention has never been to present any of our Assassin’s Creed games, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as factual representations of history, or historical characters. Instead, we aim to spark curiosity and encourage players to explore and learn more about the historical settings we get inspired by.”
“Assassin’s Creed Shadows is first and foremost, designed to be an entertaining video game that tells a compelling, historical fiction set in Feudal Japan,” they added. “Our team extensively collaborated with external consultants, historians, researchers, and internal teams at Ubisoft Japan to inform our creative choices. Despite these sustained efforts, we acknowledge that some elements in our promotional materials have caused concern within the Japanese community. For this, we sincerely apologize.”
“All game footage presented so far is in development and the game will keep evolving until launch,” the devs then clarified. “Based on the constructive criticism we have received, we will continue our efforts until we put this game into your hands – and beyond.”
“We also want to clarify that while we have been consulting with many people throughout the development process, they are in no way responsible for the decisions that are taken by the creative team in the interests of gameplay and entertainment,” said the Shadows team. “Consequently, we respectfully request that any criticism not be directed at our collaborators, both internal and external.”
Turning to the topic of the game’s “creative liberties and historical inspirations” – in particular those specifically regarding Yasuke – the team asserted, “While we strive for authenticity in everything that we do, Assassin’s Creed games are works of fiction inspired by real historical events and figures. From it’s inception, the series has taken creative license and incorporated fantasy elements to craft engaging and immersive experiences. The representation of Yasuke in our game is an illustration of this. His unique and mysterious life made him an ideal candidate to tell an Assassin’s Creed story with the setting of Feudal Japan as a backdrop.”
“While Yasuke is depicted as a samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we acknowledge that this is a matter of debate and discussion,” they added. “We have woven this carefully into our narrative and with our other lead character, the Japanese shinobi Naoe, who is equally important in the game, our dual protagonists provide players with different gameplay styles.”
Drawing their statement to a close, the team ultimately assured Japanese players, “We greatly value your feedback and encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts, respectfully. While we understad that meeting everyone’s expectations is very difficult, we sincerely hope that when Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on November 15th, players in Japan and around the world will appreciate the dedication, effort, and passion we have poured into it.”
NEXT: ‘Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ To Reportedly Feature Same-Sex Romance Options For Both Yasuke And Naoe
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