Assassin’s Creed Defends Creative Liberties Amid Japanese Protest
Ubisoft’s “Assassin’s Creed Shadows”, the latest installment in the popular franchise, has been at the center of a controversy in Japan after nearly 100,000 people signed a petition against the introduction of a new black samurai character. The game’s developers have responded to the criticism, defending their “creative liberties” and apologizing for any concerns caused within the Japanese community.
According to the petition, critics have accused Ubisoft of lacking historical accuracy and cultural respect in their depiction of the samurai. The game’s protagonist, Yasuke, is presented as a 16th-century historical figure who was kidnapped by Portuguese slave traders and taken to Japan. While the petition did not dispute the existence of Yasuke, it claimed that he had never received the samurai title.
Ubisoft’s statement addressed to its “esteemed Japanese community” explained their “creative liberties and historical inspirations”. The developers acknowledged that they had collaborated with consultants, historians, researchers, and internal teams at Ubisoft Japan to inform their creative choices. They apologized for any concerns caused and stated that their intention was never to present the game as a factual representation of history or historical characters.
The game’s designers also highlighted the franchise’s track record of exploring various periods of history, including ancient Egypt, the Crusades, revolutionary France, and the Viking period.
Samurai expert Julien Peltier told AFP that the figure of the famed warrior is “fascinating and we’d like to know a lot more about him, we don’t know much and that makes him the subject of every fantasy”. The game’s designers similarly acknowledged that the depiction of Yasuke as a samurai is a matter of debate and discussion.
The controversy has sparked debate among gamers and historians alike, with some praising Ubisoft’s creative liberties while others condemn the lack of historical accuracy. Regardless, it remains to be seen how the public will respond to the game’s release in November.
