Ubisoft publishes letter to ‘Japanese community’ ‘concerned’ by Assassin’s Creed Shadows

videogameschronicle.com:

Ubisoft has published a letter to the “Japanese community” to address what it calls “concern” around “some elements in our promotional materials” for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

In a lengthy statement published on social media, the publisher acknowledged online discourse around Yasuke, one of the upcoming game’s protagonists, who is an African Samurai.

Yasuke, one of two playable characters in the game, is based on a real historical figure, who was an African man who served the Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga in 1581.

However, the character has been the subject of some criticism on social media, amplified by the likes of Elon Musk, who wrote about the game’s supposed “injection of DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion).

In its statement, Ubisoft stresses that the Assassin’s Creed franchise has always strived to be inspired by history rather than faithfully depicting it.

“Since the announcement of Assassin’s Creecd Shadows, we have received many positive reactions, but also some criticism, including from you, our Japanese players,” it says. “We share your passion for history and deeply respect your care for the historical and cultural integrity of your rich heritage.

“Our intention has never been to present any of our Assassin’s Creed games, including Assassin’s Creed Shadowws, as factual representations of history, or historical characters. Instead, we aim to spark curiosity and encourage players to explore and learn more about the historical setting we get inspired by.”

Several previous Assassin’s Creed titles have featured real historical figures, such as Leonardo DaVinci, who appears in Assassin’s Creed 2.

Addressing the online criticism, the statement continues: “We acknowledge that some elements in our promotional materials have caused concern within the Japanese community. For this, we sincerely apologize.

“We also want to clarify that while we have been consulting with many people throughout the development process, they are in no way responsible for the decisions that are