Was Yasuke a samurai or not? As is well known, the question has been the subject of much discussion in recent months, but the moderators of the Assassin’s Creed Reddit channel have decided to close the debate in light of the message written by the developers of Shadows regarding the historical accuracy of the game.
“Following the reveal of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, there has been an influx of individuals flocking to various online communities, such as this subreddit, and raising discussions about the ‘historical accuracy’ of the game,” the moderators’ post reads.
“Since we are all exhausted by this boring discussion, which has dragged on forever and has been exacerbated by a recent official statement from Ubisoft, we would like to remind those who participate in these debates what exactly the Assassin’s Creed franchise is and why there has never been any purpose in these discussions outside of a subtle intent of bad faith.”
“Assassin’s Creed is historical fiction. This means that while some places, events, and characters may be based on reality and may even have some attention to accuracy, their depictions are largely exaggerated in the interests of making a more enjoyable gaming experience.”
“Although all the protagonists of the saga have been the product of the authors’ imagination so far, the introduction of Yasuke gave some the false impression that the above rule had not been applied. But no, things are still like this.”
True or not? That’s not the point
“Yasuke, who was a samurai, as confirmed by numerous world-renowned historians, including Japanese ones, may not have played such an important role in the real world as in Shadows.”
Well, “no problem: it’s a video game. It’s not about using Assassin’s Creed as a reference point for real historical knowledge, but about pushing you to delve deeper into these topics after immersing you in a glimpse of authenticity.”
“We’re not here to discuss historical documents. Most of us, as fans, are aware that while these games give us a great look at what historical settings might have been like and we enjoy comparing them to real-world data, we don’t pursue accuracy in this franchise and play primarily for other reasons.”
“So if you’re here specifically to comment on your displeasure with Yasuke’s inclusion or other inaccurate details that have been highlighted in Ubisoft’s depiction of feudal Japan, it’s time to understand that this is not the place for that discussion and it never will be. Feel free to take your displeasure elsewhere, away from this franchise and its communities.”
“Any further comments that attempt to impugn Yasuke’s social status, disparage his inclusion in the game, or contain statements bordering on trolling regarding any concerns about historical accuracy will be promptly removed and the author banned.”
