Ubisoft released a statement responding to the culture wars that started after the announcement of the new Assassin’s Creed game Shadows. While the company’s statement addressed various controversies, it specifically emphasized that the game makes no claims to historical accuracy. The statement also indirectly targeted the criticism that one of the game’s main characters is black.
Ubisoft made a strange statement about Assassin’s Creed Shadows discussions
Since its announcement, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has faced criticism from some groups due to the fact that one of the game’s main characters is black. These criticisms are often malicious, reflecting anger at the game’s failure to place a white, heterosexual male character at its center.
Additionally, issues with some promotional materials were also raised by Japanese viewers. In particular, Ubisoft’s unauthorized use of the logo of a reenactment group called Sekigahara Teppo-tai attracted great reaction. Ubisoft attempted to calm the backlash by removing the artwork from its site and apologizing.
In Ubisoft’s statement, it was stated that Assassin’s Creed games never claim historical truth, on the contrary, they use creative freedom. The company stated that its games reinterpret historical characters and events in a form of entertainment.
“It is not our intention to present any Assassin’s Creed game, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as accurate representations of historical reality or characters,” the statement said. At this point, the representation of the black samurai Yasuke, a main character of the game, is also controversial, but Ubisoft stated that this character was handled in accordance with the narrative of the game.
The 'romantic relationship' mechanic, which was put on hold in Assassin's Creed Mirage, is making a return with Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Ubisoft’s statement stated that they will take into account constructive criticism from players in the future and will continue to make changes during the development process of the game. “All gameplay footage released to date is in development and the game will evolve leading up to launch,” the statement said.
The company re-emphasized that the game was designed for entertainment purposes only and that historical accuracy is not a documentary. This statement aims to calm discussions and manage players’ expectations before the game’s release.
