Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Ubisoft apologizes to Japanese fans

The announcement and setting of Assassin’s Creed Shadows were not only met with approval. While some people were loudly upset about the main character Yasuke and his skin color, there were also some deeper criticisms about the historical accuracy of the game.

One thing is clear to every fan of Assassin’s Creed: The games may be based on historical events and periods, but they tell their own story and make no claim to historical accuracy.

With Yasuke, Assassin’s Creed Shadows now has the first main character who actually existed. The samurai quickly caused outrage, because according to some fans, there had never been a black warrior in Japanese history. However, some historians disagree and it is generally agreed that Yasuke actually served as a samurai under Oda Nobunaga.

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But some family crests and other details are also causing heated debate about Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Some Japanese fans even saw the errors as downright insults to their cultural heritage. Faulty architecture was also discovered in the trailer.

In a post, Ubisoft addressed Japanese fans directly. First of all, the studio explains that a lot of love and time went into creating the game world. They also worked with numerous experts to recreate feudal Japan as faithfully as possible.

However, as always, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not a purely fact-based experience, the studio also allows itself some artistic freedom. “Assassin’s Creed Shadows is primarily intended to be an entertaining video game that presents an interesting historical fiction set in feudal Japan.”

However, the company also apologizes to the Japanese community. A lot can still happen before the release based on feedback. Ubisoft also explicitly points out that the consultants are in no way responsible for the team’s creative decisions.

The statement continues: “While we strive for authenticity in everything we do, the Assassin’s Creed games are works of fiction inspired by real historical events and characters. Since its inception, the series has taken artistic liberties and woven in fantasy elements to provide exciting and immersive experiences. The representation of Yasuke in our game is one example of this. His unique and mysterious life made him the ideal candidate to tell an Assassin’s Creed story set in feudal Japan.”

We will find out how accurate or not Assassin’s Creed Shadows ultimately turns out to be on November 15, 2024. That is the day the game will be released on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.