Assassin’s Creed Shadows Dev Addresses Japanese Community on Authenticity and “Creative Liberties”

As much excitement as Assassin’s Creed Shadows has generated due to its Feudal Japan setting and new stealth mechanics, there has also been some concern regarding its overall authenticity. These extend to the depiction of Yasuke, based on a real-life samurai who served under Oda Nobunaga in the Sengoku period.

In a new message to its “Japanese community”, the development team has addressed both alongside other potential concerns. “We share your passion for history and deeply respect your care for the historical and cultural integrity of your rich heritage.

“Our intention has never been to present any of our Assassin’s Creed games, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as factual representations of history or historical characters. Instead, we aim to spark curiosity and encourage players to explore and learn more about the historical setting we get inspired by.”

It also acknowledged that “some elements in our promotional materials have caused concern within the Japanese community. For this, we sincerely apologize.” This potentially refers to the inclusion of the flag for the re-enactment group Sekigahara Teppo-tai in concept art without permission. Though Ubisoft apologized for the same and would no longer use the same, the group also requested its removal from the art book included in the physical Collector’s Edition.

The developer also clarified that “while we have been consulting with many people throughout the development process, they are in no way responsible for the decisions taken by the creative teams in the interest of gameplay and entertainment.” It requested that any criticism not be directed “at our collaborators, both internal and external.”

Regarding creative liberties and historical representations, namely Yasuke, it said, “While Yasuke is depicted as a samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we acknowledge that this is a matter of debate and discussion. We have woven this carefully into our narrative, and with our other lead character, the Japanese shinobi Naoe, who is equally important in the game, our dual protagonists provide players with different gameplay styles.”

Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches on November 15th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Despite the so-called backlash, pre-orders are reportedly “very strong.” Stay tuned for more updates in the meantime.

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

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