Ubisoft’s Latest Statement Has Made Assassin’s Creed Shadows Even More Controversial

Ever since the gameplay reveals of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, there has been quite a lot of controversy surrounding Yasuke, one of the two main characters in the game. He is actually based on a real-life person, which is a first for an Assassin’s Creed game. Never before did we play with a protagonist that was based on a real personality which is why there is a lot of controversy with representation in this game.

The History Behind The Controversy

All of the problems have stemmed from one single fact; Yasuke is based on a real person who existed in history and he is getting misrepresented which has led to outrage against Assassin’s Creed Shadows, especially from the Japanese community. If you’re going to add someone from actual history into your games, then you need to tell the story of the said person with 100% historical accuracy.

Aside from misrepresenting Yasuke, there are multiple other problems that are narratively wrong with the character. Yasuke is a supposed hero samurai in AC Shadows who will save Japan but in reality, that never happened in Japanese history. Yasuke was never as legendary as he is depicted in the game which has spiked a huge backlash from the Japanese community.

Ubisoft’s Statement Creates More Problems

Ubisoft’s recent statement is anything but an apology to the community. Basically, the studio has come out and said that its games are not based on actual history which is true for the most part in the Assassin’s Creed Shadows. However, in a previous interview, one of the developers at Ubisoft had specifically confirmed something that completely contradicts the recent statement.

According to that interview, Assaassin’s Creed Shadows is going to portray factual history so that players can experience the era of Feudal Japan with historical accuracy. Now, after receiving backlash for Yasuke’s character, the studio has decided to go back on its own words. This has not only created further problems for the game itself but has led to even more hate from the community.

Misrepresentation Plagues Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows was supposed to be the first game in the franchise that completely focuses on Japanese history. I was personally excited about this game as well, but it is extremely sad to see it in its current state. As fans have already pointed out, there’s a lot more wrong with this title other than the fact that Yasuke has not been represented with historical accuracy.

As seen in a trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, there are multiple features that are not correct according to the Japanese culture. Firstly, the Torii Gate which is used as an entrance for shrines in Japan has been used as an entrance to a mere village. Then you have Sakura Blossoms blooming at the same time as the Rice Harvest which is just not accurate. 

Using hip-hop music for Yasukke who is supposed to be a Samuraai was the final nail in the coffin. Every little detail matters when you’re going to represent an entire culture in your game and even a small mistake can spike a lot of backlash. I really appreciate Ghost of Tsushima in this regard, Sucker Punch is a Western Studio but the developers actually went to Japan and researched the history before creating the game.