What's happened
Ubisoft's latest title, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, launched on March 20, 2025, set in 16th-century Japan. The game features two protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe, but has faced backlash over historical inaccuracies and cultural insensitivity, particularly regarding the portrayal of a real shrine and the characters' backgrounds.
What's behind the headline?
Cultural Sensitivity and Historical Accuracy
- The game has sparked debate over its portrayal of Yasuke, an African samurai, and the inclusion of a real shrine, raising questions about cultural representation.
- Critics argue that the game should respect historical contexts, while developers emphasize creative freedom.
Gameplay Dynamics
- Shadows introduces dual protagonists, enhancing gameplay variety. Players can choose between stealthy approaches with Naoe or direct combat with Yasuke, appealing to different play styles.
- The game's setting in feudal Japan offers a rich backdrop, but some players find the vast open world overwhelming and repetitive.
Future Implications
- The backlash may influence future game development, prompting studios to prioritize cultural sensitivity and historical accuracy in their narratives. This could reshape how stories are told in video games, balancing entertainment with respect for cultural heritage.
What the papers say
The Guardian's Keza MacDonald notes that Assassin's Creed: Shadows makes gameplay more engaging than previous titles, highlighting the beauty of its setting and the depth of its characters. In contrast, the South China Morning Post raises concerns about the game's historical inaccuracies, particularly regarding Yasuke's portrayal and the destruction of a shrine, prompting discussions about cultural sensitivity. Ubisoft's creative team has defended their choices, stating that they aim to create compelling historical fiction rather than strict historical accuracy. This divergence in perspectives illustrates the ongoing tension between creative expression and cultural respect in the gaming industry.
How we got here
Assassin's Creed: Shadows is the 14th installment in the popular franchise, which has sold over 200 million copies since its inception in 2007. The game explores the tumultuous Sengoku period in Japan, featuring a diverse cast and a blend of historical fiction and gameplay mechanics.
Go deeper
- What are the main gameplay features of Assassin's Creed: Shadows?
- How has the gaming community reacted to the game's release?
- What historical events does Assassin's Creed: Shadows depict?
Common question
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What are the controversies surrounding Assassin's Creed: Shadows?
Ubisoft's latest release, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, has sparked significant debate since its launch on March 20, 2025. Set in 16th-century Japan, the game features a blend of historical and fictional elements, but it has faced backlash for its portrayal of cultural aspects and historical inaccuracies. This page explores the key controversies and implications of cultural sensitivity in gaming.
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What Are the Controversies Surrounding Assassin's Creed: Shadows?
Ubisoft's latest release, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, has stirred significant debate since its launch on March 20, 2025. Set in 16th-century Japan, the game features historical figures and events but has faced backlash for its portrayal of cultural elements and historical inaccuracies. This page explores the main controversies, community reactions, and the implications of such portrayals in gaming.
More on these topics
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Ubisoft Entertainment SA is a French video game company headquartered in Montreuil with several development studios across the world.
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Assassin's Creed is an open-world action-adventure stealth video game franchise published by Ubisoft and developed mainly by its studio Ubisoft Montreal using the game engine Anvil and its more advanced derivatives.
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Yasuke was a man of African origin who served as a kashin under the Japanese daimyō Oda Nobunaga.
In 1579, Yasuke arrived in Japan as a slave of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano, Visitor of Missions in the Indies, in India.
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Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.