In a recent development the gaming industry giant Ubisoft is planning to take a leap and take its flagship series Assassins’ Creed to a new ground based in Japan. The series is famous for its third person open world exploration style gameplay and has taken its fans from ancient Greece to Victorian London and as the series expanded there were no signs of it traversing through Japan, until now.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, formerly known by its codename Assassin’s Creed: Red, marks a significant shift for the franchise as it ventures into the feudal era of Japan, specifically the Sengoku Period of the 16th century.
Become a lethal shinobi assassin and powerful, legendary samurai in Feudal Japan. Assassin’s Creed Shadows Official World Premiere Trailer now available on YouTube #AssassinsCreedShadows
Watch now: https://t.co/Pc5onMv8p0 pic.twitter.com/q6B376ZvTT— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) May 15, 2024
Why They Took So Much Time?
Game director Charles Benoit explained to BBC Newsbeat that for each new Assassin’s Creed game, the team considered various settings and evaluated feedback from fans of the series.
“So there’s a lot of people involved,” he says.
“We’re looking at certain past projects, future projects, and we felt that, this time, it was the perfect moment for Japan.”
⛩ Become a Shinobi Assassin in Feudal Japan ⛩ #AssassinsCreedShadows pic.twitter.com/qvR1pePCb1
— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) May 18, 2024
Glimpse Of The Game
This week, fans were treated to their initial look at the game through a cinematic trailer that introduced dual protagonists: Naoe, a female ninja, and Yasuke, inspired by a historical figure commonly known as “the African samurai.”
The game director iterated that the presence of two protagonists makes space of 2 different styles of gameplay. With Naoe players having more focus on a stealthier gameplay similar to the previous edition Assassins” Creed; Mirage and Yasuke players getting to engage in a more combat-focused style like the one in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla In AC Shadows, the game explores the rise of two key figures in Japan: Naoe, an adept shinobi assassin hailing from the Iga province, and Yasuke, a powerful Samurai with a rich historical background.
The gamers will be able to explore the entirety of Japan in Assassin’s Creed: Shadows. From majestic mountains to serene coastal towns, from ancient shrines to picturesque pastoral landscapes, this game offers gamers a virtual journey across Japan without the need for a visa. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Japan’s diverse landscapes, all from the comfort of your own home.
The trailer for the game generated significant excitement for Shadows, and developer Ubisoft is aiming for success following the reportedly subdued sales of its earlier 2024 release, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Another major release, the pirate-themed Skull & Bones, originally conceived as an Assassin’s Creed spin-off, received generally low review scores.
Yasuke’s Character Faces Backlash
Following the introduction of the main protagonists in the trailer, there was a backlash from some gamers who criticized the selection of Yasuke as the main character instead of a native Japanese protagonist. The opponents of this view have hit back and expressed that such comments are racist and have pointed out that Yasuke’s character is in fact based on real life.
Charles, speaking to Newsbeat before the trailer dropped, says the developers “put a lot of emphasis on authenticity and making sure we depict Japan and the culture right”.
“So when we started the project, we had a historian with us from day one,” he says.
As an Asian I’m highly offended why you guys didn’t make the main character as Japanese in Japan? Is it because Asian not important? This is direct insult to our race
— Victor Rahman (@VicRahman) May 15, 2024
Damn Ubisoft won’t even let you play as a Japanese dude in the game set in Japan. Major ists and isms there
— John Goetz (@john_goetz) May 15, 2024
Release Date And Gaming Platforms
The game will be released on November 15 on PS5 and X Box Series X. Both these devices will support the game. Reports indicate that players will require an internet connection to install the physical edition of the game.
Fans React To The Release
Despite facing criticisms Fans are extremely excited to get their hands on the new edition of Assassin’s Creed. With a long list of admirers the series has definitely fetched the attention of its dedicated audience.
Can’t wait to see how Naoe and Yasuke’s stories unfold ⚔️
— Xbox (@Xbox) May 15, 2024
Been wanting a Yasuke game forever, super pumped for this
— Bigg Country (@BiggCountry_) May 15, 2024
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