Assassin's Creed Shadows Ubisoft Statement

Ubisoft has decided to release a lengthy statement with regards to Assassin's Creed Shadows. As you may already know, the upcoming open world title has sparked many an online debate. The game takes place in feudal Japan, but given the series' historical leanings, some onlookers have been quick to point out potential inaccuracies, suggesting that the developer has a lack of respect for Japanese history.

In particular, Ubisoft's statement is aimed at Japanese players. "For many of our team, creating an Assassin's Creed game set in feudal Japan has been a long-cherished dream," it reads. "Since [Shadows'] announcement, we have received many positive reactions, but also some criticism including from you, our Japanese players".

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It continues: "We share your passion for history and deeply respect your care for the historical and cultural integrity of your rich heritage."

The statement goes on to outline the developer's process, intentions, and goals. It goes into detail about how the team has employed experts in order to provide historical accuracy where necessary, before adding: "Despite these sustained efforts, we acknowledge that some elements in our promotional materials have caused concern within the Japanese community. For this, we sincerely apologise."

We assume that this sentence is once again addressing the kerfuffle surrounding some Shadows concept art, which made use of a Japanese reenactment group's banner.

And finally, the statement covers "creative liberties and historical inspirations". As you might expect, this is largely about Yasuke, one of the game's two playable protagonists. Yasuke was a real person — a man of African origin who ended up serving under one of the period's most powerful warlords. However, some have expressed disappointment in Ubisoft's decision to focus on a non-Japanese character.

"[Yasuke's] 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," the statement explains.

"While Yasuke is depicted as a samurai in Shadows, we acknowledge that this is a matter of debate and discussion," it admits. "We have woven this carefully into our narrative, and with our other lead character, the Japanese shinobi Naoe, who is equally important to the game, our dual protagonists provide players with different gameplay styles."

Again, it's a big old statement, but Ubisoft clearly felt the need to come out and try to calm things down. But what do you make of all this? Drop a quick vote into our poll, and then try to explain yourself in the comments section below.

Do you care about the creative liberties taken in Assassin's Creed Shadows? (1,352 votes)

  1. Yes, I dislike them42%
  2. No, I don't care51%
  3. I'm undecided7%