French publisher and developer Ubisoft released official statement regarding the negative reaction of the Japanese gaming community to the open-world action RPG Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Image source: Ubisoft
The first trailer for Assassin’s Creed Shadows has received a record number of dislikes for the series amid criticism of the image of the dark-skinned samurai Yasuke, while the Japanese were outraged by historical inaccuracies (architecture, customs, cultural norms).
A particularly concerned Japanese even launched a petition demanding that Ubisoft cancel the game, which “insults Japanese culture and history.” Almost 95,000 people have already signed the initiative.
Image source: Change.org
In a message to Japanese players, Ubisoft reminded that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an entertainment product based on the feudal Japan setting, and does not accurately depict the historical events of that period.
“While Yasuke is depicted as a samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we know this is a subject of debate and discussion, and have carefully woven this element into our narrative,” Ubisoft said.
Image source: Ubisoft
At the same time, Ubisoft acknowledged that some of the promotional materials for Assassin’s Creed Shadows rightfully disturbed Japanese players, for which it “sincerely apologizes.” The company will take constructive criticism into account and will continue to improve the project.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows will go on sale on November 15, starting at $70 for PC (Ubisoft Connect, EGS), Mac (App Store), PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and will appear on iPad tablets by the end of 2024.
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