Assassin’s Creed Shadows is stuck in a deep controversy, which will only end when it eventually releases. Many facets of the upcoming entry have been criticized by the industry, birthing widespread hate campaigns against the devs. However, now the franchise boss, Marc-Alexis Cote, has come forward to address the negative effects the diversity backlash has had on the studio.

The AC series head honcho clarified that the creative team has faced the brunt of all the harassment, leading to ‘personal attacks online.’ He also said that the hard work of the devs is seemingly turned into ‘a symbol of division.’

Why it matters: The Assassin’s Creed boss claims that the backlash because of the diversity controversy has been a nightmare for the development team, leading to disheartenment in the studio.

Assassin’s Creed Franchise Was Discussed At BAFTA
While speaking at an event organized by BAFTA, Marc-Alexis Cote tried to justify the decision to go for diversity and inclusion in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. He noted that Ubisoft has always embraced diversity—and since history is diverse—it wants to accurately portray the nuances of the history and the struggles faced by the protagonists in the game.

The current climate is tough on our creative teams. They face lies, half truths and personal attacks online. […] It’s not just disheartening, it can be devastating.

-Marc-Alexis Cote

Citing examples from past AC games, Marc also claimed that Ubisoft’s commitment to inclusivity is grounded in historical accuracy, not driven by modern agendas.

Ubisoft has tried its best to defend the controversial decisions that it has made regarding Shadows so far.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is still set to launch on February 14, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.