From the momentAssassin’s Creed Shadowswas unveiled, it found itself as one of the many games targeted by “anti-woke” advocates online.Under the guise of historical realism, social media wasflooded with racist commentsand memes about one of the protagonists, Yasuke, to the point where it dominated much of the pre-launch conversation.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows wouldgo on to bring in millions of players at launch, giving Ubisofta much needed win. However, that doesn’t mean that the game has escaped the culture war just yet, as the “woke” complaints were brought up once more at a Ubisoft shareholders meeting, of all places.
Ubisoft Shareholder Accuses The Company Of Pushing A “Leftist Political Agenda”. Yes, Really.
You can check out a recording of the meeting on theUbisoft website. After a presentation, Ubisoft takes questions from shareholders in the audience, including one relatively recent investor who asked perhaps the most bizarre question of the meeting.
“Regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows, there’s been a lot of controversy regarding that game,” the shareholder begins. “Ubisoft has been accused and criticised for this wokeist trend. I mean, this is happening in 16th-century Japan, and the main character is an African samurai. That’s a bold choice by Ubisoft. In the story, he falls in love, that’s one of the possibilities of the game - he gets to fall in love with a transgender character. So, woke or not woke?”
They continue, leaving it on this: “Is that a show of openness on your part, or are you going to backtrack and backpeddle on that leftist political agenda?”
In the video, you may see a few attendees towards the front laughing and smiling. I can’t say for sure why this is, but it is certainly amusing to hear an investor suggest thatUbisofthas bowed down to leftist ideals, or even that any huge company would do that. Alas, words continue to lose all meaning.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot is the one to answer the question, although he does so without using those buzzwords that the shareholder threw around.
“When you get to play the game, you understand that the game is full of characters, and the characters actually blend in with the game,” says Guillemot. “In regard to this particular game, what was our goal? We wanted to showcase characters with heroic journeys.
“This is an actual character, this is someone who really existed, and showcasing that character has been extremely successful. And that is why we decided to tell that story. We wanted to tell a different story.”
So, no regrets there, and it’s easy to see why. Despite the backlash, Assassin’s Creed Shadows performed well both critically and commercially. It came right off the back of Star Wars Outlaws' failure, too,which was also addressed during the meeting with shareholders.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience an epic historical action-adventure story set in feudal Japan! Become a lethal shinobi Assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open world in a time of chaos. Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny. Master complementary playstyles, create your shinobi league, customize your hideout, and usher in a new era for Japan.• Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.• Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.• Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.• Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
