Assassin’s Creed Shadows Controversy May Be Proving Fans Don’t Always Know What’s Best

With Assassin’s Creed Shadows inching ever closer to its release date, Ubisoft will be hoping that its attempts to breathe new life into the franchise – and its own fortunes after a dismal showing in 2024 – are successful.

However, the studio’s decision to finally give fans of the Assassins’ adventures a chance to visit feudal Japan is a showcase of how modern gaming audiences are nearly impossible to please considering the backlash that it has received since its announcement of the highly anticipated title.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ Long and Winding Road to the Spotlight

While there is a lot to love about Ubisoft’s approach to Assassin’s Creed Shadows, fans of past Assassin’s Creed titles seem to find new excuses to hate a title that they have been requesting for a long time. From the controversy surrounding samurai Yasuke’s inclusion as one of the game’s protagonists to recent responses about early game footage showcasing the destruction of a religious site, the Sengoku era is proving to be a blessing and a curse for Ubisoft.

However, as many corners of the internet have rightly pointed out, the franchise’s narratives often find its protagonists at odds with a variety of religiously important figures like the Pope in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood or the fact that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla featured raids on monasteries as a crucial part of building up the Assassin’s presence in England over the course of their stories.

The Best and Worst of Feudal Japan

When thinking about other titles that visited feudal Japan and their distinct lack of controversy, Ghost of Tsushima immediately comes to mind considering how its sequel slated for release later this year is bound to invite comparisons to Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Jin Sakai’s adventures received a lot of praise for how Sucker Punch managed to put a respectful spin on its take on the Mongol invasion of Tsushima with Jin remaining true to his Japanese roots even as he eschewed the rigidity and lack of tactical improvisation of the Shogunate.

However, Ghost of Tsushima’s narrative created the scope for Sucker Punch’s take on Japanese culture while Assassin’s Creed titles typically place their protagonists at odds with established regimes that have paved the way for corrupt individuals to oppress the common man for whom the Assassins fight.

When viewed through such a narrative framework, the controversy around Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ latest footage showcases how some players have made it the unfortunate victim of a culture war that has seen several other titles fall prey to controversies (Dragon Age: The Veilguard being a great example).

It will be interesting to see how Yasuke and Naoe take on the Shogunate in feudal Japan and if they can win over the hearts of disgruntled fans in the process. Ubisoft will certainly hope that its protagonists are able to overcome these hurdles when Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally makes it to the hands of players who have eagerly waited for a chance to explore how the Assassins would work in ancient Japan.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows release date is March 20th, 2025, barring another delay, and is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Mac.

For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out how Sony has once again reignited hopes of a remake or sequel to Bloodborne, or how a free demo for The First Berseker: Khazan gave a few players ideas about how to cheese its combat loop.