Ubisoft, the developer and publisher behind the Assassin’s Creed franchise, has recently shared a message with Japanese fans about the complaints about Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been the target of backlash from fans around the globe since promotional content for the game was released. Many have been worried about the authenticity of the historical setting and its characters.
The complaints and concerns have grown enough that the official Assassin’s Creed X account shared a few pages of notes.
In them, the development team expressed how excited they were to create a game in feudal Japan. They explained that their passion for history and desire to be authentic led them to consult various historians and consultants to create the environment. Additionally, Ubisoft Japan helped with creative decisions about the game.
The message also doubled down on Assassin’s Creed being a franchise that’s meant to tell an entertaining, fictional story. It’s not meant to tell an accurate historical account. This specifically applies to Shadows, as the role of the main character, Yasuke, in history is highly debated by scholars.
Additionally, there were further remarks about a second character, Naoe, who is a second main character. The message calls them “dual protagonists” that have different playstyles through Shadows.
However, the team acknowledged that concern in the Japanese community was because of promotional images and gameplay being shown off. The message explained that they’ll continue working on improving the game and taking constructive criticism seriously – both before and after Assassin’s Creed Shadows is released.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is set to release on November 12, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. For more industry news, check out Simulation Daily’s coverage of SAG-AFTRA’s readiness to strike over AI protections.