Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed boss Marc-Alexis Côté, admitted that the company’s injection of DEI into Assassin’s Creed Shadows is harming the game’s potential, but declared that he plans to double down on it and even attacked his critics.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
As reported by Eurogamer, Côté made an appearance at a BAFTA event where he shared that discussions of Ubisoft’s DEI policies “can influence how our gamers are perceived, but rather than shy away from those conversations, we should see them as an opportunity.”
From there he attempted to gaslight people in attendance by stating, “Assassin’s Creed has always been about exploring the full spectrum of human history, and by its very nature, that history is diverse. Staying true to history means embracing the richness of human perspectives – without compromise.”
He continued, “For example, in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, we highlight figures, both fictional like Naoe, a Japanese woman warrior, and historical, like Yasuke, the African born samurai. While the inclusion of a Black samurai in feudal Japan has sparked questions and even controversy, Naoe, as a fictional character, has also faced scrutiny for her gender.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
He then justified the character of Naoe, “But just as Yasuke’s presence in Japanese history is fact, so too are the stories of women who defied societal expectations and took up arms in times of conflict. So while both Naoe and Yasuke’s stories are works of historical fiction, they reflect the collision of different worlds, cultures and roles, and their inclusion is precisely the kind of narrative that Assassin’s Creed seeks to tell, one that reflects the complexity and interconnectedness of our shared history.”
Côté then pulled out the tired talking point that leftists always use, “it’s always been woke” or in this case “it’s always been diverse.” He said, “And this isn’t new ground for the franchise. From Altaïr to Aveline de Grandpré to Ratonhnhaké:ton [the protagonists of Assassin’s Creed 1, Liberation and Assassin’s Creed 3 respectively], we’ve consistently introduced protagonists from diverse racial, ethnic and gender identities. History is inherently diverse, and so is Assassin’s Creed and the stories we tell.”
“So to be clear, our commitment to inclusivity is grounded in historical authenticity and respect for diverse perspectives, not driven by modern agendas,” he declared.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Next, Côté attacked critics of Ubisoft’s diversity and inclusion policies, which he is clearly an advocate for, “Alongside these deep-rooted franchise values is our commitment to recognise and listen to legitimate criticism as an essential part of the creative process.”
“Our community helps us grow, evolve and deliver better games. Today, we all however face the added challenge of distinguishing between genuine feedback and attacks driven by intolerance,” he said.
“The current climate is tough on our creative teams. They face lies, half truths and personal attacks online,” he continued. “When the work they pour their hearts into is twisted into a symbol of division, it’s not just disheartening, it can be devastating. What keeps me going is the resilience born out of conviction that I see in our teams every day. I am especially proud of the Shadows team for staying true to their creative vision and the core tenets of Assassin’s Creed.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Côté declared, “By choosing Naoe and Yasuke as protagonists, we are expanding the narrative landscape, offering new points of view that challenge established norms found in many works of fiction, while staying true to the history that shaped them.”
” At the end of the day, Assassin’s Creed is not just a franchise, it’s a platform for entertainment, dialogue, discovery and understanding. Our commitment isn’t just about reflecting on the past, it’s about ensuring that the stories we tell continue to unite, inspire and challenge players, regardless of their background, and we’ll continue to stand by these values because they are central to the heart of the franchise, and I believe, to the future of storytelling itself,” he said.
“Ultimately, we believe that the diversity and richness of the human experience is what helps Assassin’s Creed resonate with players across the globe, and we’re committed to standing firm on that foundation,” Coté asserted.
Côté then doubled down on this idea that Assassin’s Creed is not a game, but something else altogether, “Assassin’s Creed is more than just a game. It can be a platform for meaningful exploration and reflection wrapped in the excitement of unforgettable gameplay, and it is that fusion of creativity, diversity, immersion and fun that continues to define the franchise and connect it with players around the globe.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Next, Côté painted himself and Ubisoft as victims, “The stories we tell, the characters we create and the game worlds we build are instrumentalised by those who seek to silence creativity, to stoke fear and incite hatred.”
He continued, ” believe we are facing what [CNN anchor] Fareed Zakaria calls an ‘Age of Revolution’, a time when the real conflict is not between the left and the right, but between societies that close themselves off and those that open themselves up to the world. Throughout history, it’s the open societies that have always eventually prevailed. While there may be setbacks over years or even decades, it is openness that has continually pushed humanity forward.”
“This echoes the selfless bravery of our Assassin’s Creed protagonists,” he went on. “They fought for freedom, knowledge and the right to chart their own paths, just as we, as creators, fight to tell stories that matter in a world that grows increasingly divided.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Côté elaborated, “As the authors of ‘How Democracies Die’ so powerfully stated, democracies crumble when good people decide to stay silent. The same is true, I think, of our creative freedom when we allow fear to stifle our voices. When we self-censor in the face of threats, we hand over our power, piece by piece, until freedom and creativity both wither away.”
“We cannot let that happen,” he proclaimed. “It’s time for us as creators to stand firm on our commitment to our values, by telling stories that inspire, that challenge and that help people connect. Our silence cannot become complicit.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Côté closed his remarks, “To our players – the ones who have stood by us, supported us and celebrated our work over the years with enthusiasm and constructive feedback – this stance is for you. You are the heart of our journey. We create for you, and your support fuels our creativity and strengthens our resolve to keep pushing boundaries, to tell stories that matter. This journey is yours as much as it is ours, and I thank you for being with us every step of the way.”
“I’m an optimist and a dreamer. I believe that the answer to hate is to continue creating experiences that celebrate the richness of our world and capture the magic of our collective imagination, because in the end, creativity is stronger than fear, and together, we are creating the future of entertainment,” he concluded.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Interestingly, Côté’s comments clearly contradict what Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said just last month when announcing the company was delaying Assassin’s Creed Shadows from November 2024 to February 2025.
Guillemot said, “Finally, let me address some of the polarized comments around Ubisoft lately. I want to reaffirm that we are an entertainment-first company, creating games for the broadest possible audience, and our goal is not to push any specific agenda. We remain committed to creating games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Furthermore, Côté appears to have grown a spine as well albeit one built on a pile of lies. So, it’s likely all bluster and not actual conviction. Nevertheless, Cote is the same person who admitted that Elon Musk emotionally broke him for simply posting on X that “DEI kills art” in response to how much of the DEI agenda had been injected into Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Elon Musk on X
Speaking with Stephen Totilo at Game File, Côté detailed how Musk’s post broke him emotionally, “That tweet generated emotions, that…the first thing I wanted to do was go back on X – that I had deleted – and just tweet back. And I just took a step back. I have a mindfulness app on my phone. And I did a bit of mindfulness to try to explore the emotions that this tweet created.”
In a moment of sheer hypocrisy, he accused Elon of feeling hatred while at the same time indicating he had a bunch of hateful three-word replies he wanted to send, “For me, Elon, it’s sad, he’s just feeding hatred. I had a lot of three word replies that came to mind.”
Nevertheless, Côté continued, “By attacking someone like Elon… I will not convince people about our point of view as a team.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
What do you make of Côté’s most recent comments?
