Addressing Backlash from Japanese Community: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Developers Speak Out

The development team behind Assassin’s Creed Shadows has released a statement to apologize to Japanese fans following concerns raised within the community about certain promotional materials for the game.

In a statement released on various Ubisoft social media accounts, the developer specifically addressed the Japanese community and offered a sincere apology for their previous marketing efforts.

The Assassin’s Creed Shadows team has a message for our Japanese community. pic.twitter.com/AIyWNU9YhG

— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) July 23, 2024

Despite its overall ambiguity, Ubisoft specifically acknowledged the addition of Yasuke as one of the two protagonists in the game.

“We always aim for authenticity in our work, but it’s important to remember that Assassin’s Creed games are not meant to be historically accurate. They are fictional stories that draw inspiration from real historical events and figures. Since the beginning, the series has used creative liberty to incorporate elements of fantasy, resulting in captivating and immersive gameplay.”

The inclusion of Yasuke in our game serves as a testament to this fact. His extraordinary and enigmatic life made him the perfect choice to narrate an Assassin’s Creed tale set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan.

The statement clarifies that, although consultants have been involved in the game’s development, they do not hold any sway over decisions made by the creative team. Therefore, the statement also requests that the larger community refrain from directing any negative feedback towards collaborators, both those within and outside the company.

Despite its highly anticipated release, the game has sparked considerable controversy due to its perceived lack of historical accuracy. The inclusion of a reenactment group’s flag in the game’s promotional materials further fueled the already intense backlash.

The issue grew to such an extent that CEO Yves Guillemot was compelled to acknowledge the negative online comments in a blog post published on the Ubisoft website.

According to him, a current concern of mine is the targeted and personal online assaults that have been aimed at certain members of our team and associates.

“I want to emphasize that at Ubisoft, we strongly condemn these hateful acts and urge the rest of the industry and players to also denounce them.”

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is on track to be the inaugural game in the franchise to transport players to feudal Japan, with a release date of November 12, 2024.