Ubisoft has issued a formal statement across is social media and online portal, addressed the Japanese community directly and apologising for aspects of its promotion and marketing of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
The message, which was offered in both English and Japanese and spans four pages in its X post form, doesn’t actually specify which issues are being addressed or have sparked enough concern for the company to put out such a lengthy note, but there are educated guesses to be made based on ongoing discourse and events. There have been examples in the game’s marketing where things like insignia featured in activations and booth displays around Summer Game Fest have been improperly positioned, and in particular the company found itself apologising to Sekigahara Teppo-tai, a historical re-enactment group, after it used the group’s modern-day flag in official artwork without permission.
“Our team extensively collaborated with external consultants, historians, researchers, and internal teams at Ubisoft Japan to inform our creative choices,” part of the statement reads. “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.”
Of course, one looming debate that’s been prevalent since the game was first revealed is the game’s depiction of Yasuke, a historical figure known to have served as a samurai under Oda Nobunaga and the earliest known person of African origin to appear in Japanese historical records, as one of the two playable protagonists. Despite the documented evidence, and the Assassin’s Creed series’ position as a fictional work where creative liberties can be taken regardless, it’s been a point of contention among the same, dank corners of the community that whole-heartedly believe consultancy firms have the power to ruin video games.
“While Yasuke is depicted as a samurai in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we acknowledge that this is a matter of debate and discussion,” the company says of its representation of the iconic samurai. “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.
It’s a bit of a mix of messages, seemingly addressing multiple problems at once but without any specificity, and using the opportunity to also defend itself against an outspoken minority of “anti-DEI” whingers – though the reminder that these teams are creating fictional works and not academic texts is always welcome. You can read the full statement for yourself here or in the below:
The Assassin's Creed Shadows team has a message for our Japanese community. pic.twitter.com/AIyWNU9YhG
— Assassin's Creed (@assassinscreed) July 23, 2024
