Ubisoft has seemingly commented again on the negative reaction to Assassin's Creed Shadows' black protagonist, this time saying it isn't pushing any specific agenda.
In case you're among the lucky few who missed it, Assassin's Creed Shadows has been in hot water ever since it was announced back in May. Some quarters of the internet pounced on it for a seeming lack of historical accuracy and forced diversity. Meanwhile, its unveiling sparked a heated debate over whether its black protagonist, Yasuke, was actually a real-life samurai (he was), and completely unrelated to all that, Ubisoft also had to apologize for the unauthorized use of a flag in Shadows' concept art.
Ubisoft has responded strongly to the controversy. In June, Assassin's Creed executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté hit back at Elon Musk for “fueling hatred,” and a couple of weeks later, CEO Yves Guillemot denounced “acts of hate” towards its developers. In July, the company defended itself against complaints about historical accuracy by reminding fans that “while we strive for authenticity in everything we do, Assassin's Creed games are works of fiction inspired by real historical events and figures.”
In a conference call and accompanying financial document released Wednesday, Guillemot struck a noticeably more neutral tone as he addressed “a significant perception issue that has been affecting the company's performance.”
“Let me address some of the polarizing comments that have been made lately around Ubisoft,” he said. “I want to reaffirm that we are an entertainment-first company, creating games for the widest possible audience, and that our goal is not to push any specific agenda. We remain committed to creating games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy.”
To be fully transparent, it's worth noting that Guillemot didn't explicitly link the “polarizing comments” he mentioned to the negative reaction to Assassin's Creed Shadows, but it's safe to say that's what he's referring to. It's also highly debatable whether continuing to comment on the topic is doing anything to dispel the controversy around Yusuke and shift the conversation away from his ethnicity and towards the game itself in the run-up to its recently delayed February 14, 2025 release date.
Meanwhile, Ubisoft said Assassin's Creed Shadows is “the most ambitious installment in the franchise” and was delayed at the last minute because “we really want to make sure the execution is flawless.”.