Summary
During Japan Expo 2024, Ubisoft displayed a number of Japanese cultural items to decorate a booth promotingAssassin’s Creed Shadows, but fans quickly noticed that one of the items on show was actually a replica of a katana from the smash-hit manga and animeOne Piece.Assassin’s Creed Shadowshas already faced a slew of controversies, and this latest gaff has once again drawn the ire of audiences.
Announced on May 15,Assassin’s Creed Shadowswill be the firstACgame to take players to feudal Japan and will feature a mixture of historical figures and locations alongside fictional characters and storylines. While the premise andgameplay ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowshave excited players, fans are now once again questioning the due diligence surrounding the title and its promotion.
In response to a social media post from an attendee at Japan Exo 2024, many comments pointed out that one of the photos shared from theAssassin’s Creed Shadowsbooth was of a replicaOne Piecekatana. Staff at the booth had allegedly told guests that the displayed weapon represented the sword of Yasuke, one of thetwo playable protagonists inAssassin’s Creed Shadows. However,One Piecefans identified the replica as that of character Roronoa Zoro’s blade Kitetsu, even finding the item online and sparking outcry. Some have accused Ubisoft of misrepresenting Japanese culture by claiming a sword from an anime to be a replica of a piece owned by a real historical figure, though others believe that the blunder may have been a genuine mistake. At the time of writing, Ubisoft has not formally acknowledged or responded to the incident.
Controversies Around Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ubisoft has already faced backlash from audiences surroundingAssassin’s Creed Shadows, with some grievances more severe than others. While a number of fans have voiced complaints about historical accuracy regarding certain characters and even architecture, others have had more direct issues with the developer. Namely, the banner of a real life Japanese reenactment group was spotted in concept art for the game, promptingUbisoft to issue a formal apology. With yet another real world mishap, this time with theOne Piecesword, many fans are keeping a critical eye on future promotions forAssassin’s Creed Shadows.
The controversies surroundingAssassin’s Creed Shadowshave raised a variety of larger questions within the video game industry, includingconversations on representation in gaming, historical accuracy versus artistic liberty, and developer diligence. In spite of unease among some, many fans are excited to finally explore a Japanese realm of assassins whenAssassin’s Creed Shadowslaunches November 15.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
WHERE TO PLAY
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the fourteenth major installment in the Assassin’s Creed Franchise and this time takes place in Feudal Japan. The release includes new mechanics like crawling and allows players to swap between characters to complete the main storyline.
