Assassin’s Creed Shadows controversy has ruined the possibility of Ubisoft working on one of the most ambitious Assassin’s Creed games.

assassin’s creed shadows,

The contents of Ubisoft’s next Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, have caused some controversies on social media as the studio was criticized for its choice to set the game in Japan while featuring a fictional version of Yasuke, an African, over a Japanese protagonist.

A screenshot of Assassin's Creed Shadows from Ubisoft.Ubisoft was criticized for Yasuke’s depiction (Image via Ubisoft)

On top of this, petitions were filed to cancel the game as many claimed that Yasuke’s depiction was inaccurate and disrespected the Japanese culture. Now, fans are wondering if Ubisoft killed the possibility of creating a game set in Africa during the reign of Mansa Musa or during the Songhai Empire.

Fans Would Love To See An Assassin’s Creed Game Set In Africa That Showcases The Rich History Of The Continent


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An in-game screenshot of Assassin's Creed Shadows from Ubisoft.




2017’s Assassin’s Creed Origins took players to Egypt, near the end of the Ptolemaic period from 49 to 38 BC, but there is a lot more in the African continent that Ubisoft should cover in the future. In fact, fans on Reddit have suggested the specific periods that the studio can set their games in.

The Songhai Empire is known for being the largest state in West Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the ruler of the kingdom of Mali from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E. and during his reign, Mali was one of the richest kingdoms of Africa. Ubisoft has to explore this part of history as well as there’s a lot to cover and will also expose players to rich African history.

Ubisoft Was Criticised For Yasuke’s Depiction In Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Yasuke in Assassin's Creed ShadowsYasuke from Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been a controversial figure (Image via Ubisoft)

Ubisoft’s upcoming game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, is set in 16th-century Japan towards the end of the Sengoku period and features two protagonists: Naoe, a female shinobi, and Yasuke, an African samurai inspired by the historical figure of the same name.

While the characters are exciting, a part of the community has criticized Ubisoft for Yasuke’s depiction. They believe that it is inaccurate and disrespects the Japanese culture. Despite the criticism, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has not slowed down at all and is all set to release for PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, and iPadOS on November 15, 2024.

Many historians have defended Ubisoft for Yasuke’s depiction, so it makes us wonder if the criticism is due to concerns about historical inaccuracies or if it is just racism.

Hardcore fans of the franchise would love to see an African Assassin’s Creed game but the backlash Ubisoft received for Yasuke just shows that the toxic part of the community won’t let it happen. It just comes down to gamers as they will have to unite and eliminate this problem within the community.