Support NeoGAF

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Their official response, which can be read in full below, has been shared via the Assassin's Creed Twitter account half an hour ago:

 

[winjer]

Seems like just a pathetic attempt at damage control, while telling Japanese gamers to sod off.

 

[Protocol7]

 

[Goss Harag]

"A message to our Japanese community"

in English.

 

[SJRB]

Bro if you need to write a light novel just to justify your actions, your actions are probably shit.

God bless the Japanese for not accepting this shit.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

"A message to our Japanese community"

in English.

Tbf, they've also posted the same message in Japanese.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I don't think any Japanese gamers buy Assassin's Creed games

But they wrote many words to basically just say "This is for our woke Western audience and not for you and it doesn't matter because Japan won't buy it anyways"

 

[feynoob]

In short answer, "fk your outrage. We won't do that much work, since you will buy our games anyway".

Remember that outrage won't do jackshit, if people keep spending money on said games.

 

[Hudo]

Any effort to honor the setting they're working in vanished after Patrice Desilet left. He also took/accepted creative liberties but his games never felt like a "fuck you" to the setting. There's no reason why they couldn't make a normal-ass Japanese Samurai (or a female Samurai, I think they were called Onna Bushi(?). Or a widow of a Samurai, picking up the sword for revenge. That was also a thing. So there are also opportunities for authentic female characters as a Samurai alternative) be the hero and have Yasuke appear as a supporting character or something. Maybe have a DLC where you can play as him. Centering a game around him because your DEI deparment told you to, which is how this whole thing looks like, is, by definition, racist.

Another thing would be if there is a gameplay justification. That playing as Yasuke gives you a core gameplay opportunity/mechanic that is hard to incorporate with the in game lore/story otherwise. But I haven't seen any.

Edit: I think these games would benefit, much like Star Wars Outlaws, from a character creator. You can still write a character and have a voice actor. But hand over the decision of the appearance to the players. With the Desmond storyline being completely sidelined and ruined, you can let players have the freedom of making their own walking abomination, imho. I mean, if you already don't care about the setting, might as well go all the way. I wanna play as Danny DeVito in Feudal Japan.

 

[HL3.exe]

Wish they posted a message about how AC made DaVinci a clownish character or exaggerated other historical characters.

Oh wait, nobody cared back then either.

 

[Killer8]

From "he absolutely was a samurai, Wikipedia said so" to "we acknowledge that this is a matter of debate and discussion" within a week.

 

[mitch1971]

Thought this black guy in Japan turned out to be hogwash?

 

[DelireMan7]

The fact that Ubisoft has to make these post makes me sad. People are so childish. Do they though Assassin's creed were history book ?
Since the beginning Assassin's Creed are historical fiction. But suddenly it's a problem if they do not depict a historical character "properly".

Nobody complaint when Leonardo Da Vinci worked with a secret Assassin's guild.

I really don't get all the bad feedback they got because of that.

 

[InterMusketeer]

On the one hand they rely heavily on the appeal of these historical events and exotic places, but when folks start criticizing their authenticity, the devs quickly step in to remind us it's not supposed to be that authentic. Ludicrous.

 

[Business]

They knew damn well they were trying to pass their woke fantasies as historical fact. The backlash is well deserved, they should be mocked forever and financially hurt for this.

 

[HL3.exe]

The fact that Ubisoft has to make these post makes me sad. People are so childish. Do they though Assassin's creed were history book ?
Since the beginning Assassin's Creed are historical fiction. But suddenly it's a problem if they do not depict a historical character "properly".

Nobody complaint when Leonardo Da Vinci worked with a secret Assassin's guild.

I really don't get all the bad feedback they got because of that.

True. Nobody cared about the apple of Eden nonsense either. Why? Because it's exaggerated reality. It's fiction semi-based on historical events. It's not a documentary or empirically fact checked work. It's entertainment, who cares.

 

[Portugeezer]

Should have been an NPC.

We didn't need to play as Da Vinci in AC2.

 

[Moses85]

 

[Hudo]

Wish they posted a message about how AC made DaVinci a clownish character or exaggerated other historical characters.

Oh wait, nobody cared back then either.

I think it was better written and incorporated back then. DaVinci and other characters never felt like "in your face", so to speak. It was just fun. And you also didn't play as him.

 

[BaneIsPain]

I’ve been following this mess from reveal trailer until commie historian backup fake historian as source.

never ever use the word “legendary” samurai if you’re not certain.

sloppy job Ubisoft

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Just get rid of that stupid fucking hiphop music

 

[MayauMiao]

Ubisoft tried to sell a lie to Japan. They only apologize because they got caught.

 

[tommib]

Identity politics fucked us all.

And there’s no exit.

 

[rm082e]

Not that their message was direct at me, but I still don't want to play as that character. I'm still skipping this game. I'll go back and play Ghosts of Tsushima instead.

 

[StueyDuck]

I got banned on here about this game and now even ubisoft agrees with me .

 

[winjer]

 

[Closer]

The Japanese community

 

[Danjin44]

I could be wrong here since I didn’t play AC game since AC2 on 360 but isn’t the series sci-f? I even heard it has magic artifacts and fantasy elements…..why exactly needs to be accurate to the history?

Also it’s not like Japan doesn’t do the same….I mean I’m currently playing Jeann D’Arc and LOVING the game but it’s not exactly super accurate to actual history since it has demons, magic and even fantasy races like elves and beasts.

 

[TheRedRiders]

Who gives a shit honestly, it's not going to stop me from enjoying the game.

 

[StueyDuck]

Edit: I think these games would benefit, much like Star Wars Outlaws, from a character creator.

Is this confirmed? Or are you saying they both should have character creators?

 

[MayauMiao]

It took them this long to say sorry but I think the damage has been done now with politician going after the exiled fired professor for falsifying history.

 

[ricardo_sousa11]

This will sell well!

/s

 

[Masterofchapter]

Bro if you need to write a light novel just to justify your actions, your actions are probably shit.

God bless the Japanese for not accepting this shit.

They are not they are giving finger to racist

 

[Masterofchapter]

I think it was better written and incorporated back then. DaVinci and other characters never felt like "in your face", so to speak. It was just fun. And you also didn't play as him.

Say it loud, He is white so it's acceptable right

 

[Masterofchapter]

It will

This will sell well!

/s

 

[Acidjuice]

the game series that has players enter a cyber world and interact with gods that never actually existed isn't historically accurate? wild!
the same people who complain about this also complain when games try to make characters ethnically accurate.
its unbelieveable.

 

[Daneel Elijah]

Maybe have a DLC where you can play as him

This would have been perfect i my opinion.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

reads like a big

 

[Bring Back Scalebound]

Imagine doing damage control for people whose only opposition to your game, is their discomfort with them darker shade folks...

 

[Embearded]

Didn't they also use Chinese decorations in the world?

I can accept they wanted to handle Yasuke in their own way. They have already used other historical figures in the past anyway.

But if you want to say it's in feudal Japan, you should make it look as close to that as possible.

 

[Braag]

Apparently Japan started an investigation on Thomas Lockley , the guy "consulting" Ubisoft about Yasuke, whom he said was "legendary samurai". He had also claimed that black slaves were popular in feudal Japan.
Japan said people could demand compensation over the fake assumptions of black slavery in Japan and Nihon University erased Thomas Lockley's work and resume. He has pretty much vanished since.
I think that's the main reason Japan is so angry.

 

[The Cartographer]

Have you guys looked into the recent developments of this shitshow? The Japanese have uncovered so much unreal shit about this whole ''Yasuke'' thing it's not even funny.
Search for Thomas Lockley on google/twitter and be prepared to be blown away by the sheer malevolence of this individual.

 

[Masterofchapter]

Didn't they also use Chinese decorations in the world?

I can accept they wanted to handle Yasuke in their own way. They have already used other historical figures in the past anyway.

But if you want to say it's in feudal Japan, you should make it look as close to that as possible.

That why they write this they are change everything that's not Japanese, expect racist

 

[MayauMiao]

Apparently Japan started an investigation on Thomas Lockley , the guy "consulting" Ubisoft about Yasuke, whom he said was "legendary samurai". He had also claimed that black slaves were popular in feudal Japan.
Japan said people could demand compensation over the fake assumptions of black slavery in Japan and Nihon University erased Thomas Lockley's work and resume. He has pretty much vanished since.
I think that's the main reason Japan is so angry.

I think he was also caught editing Wikipedia on Yasuke, self credit facts based on the books he wrote.

The fact that he was expelled from his job is quite telling.

 

[Plague Doctor]

The very, very English historian that spun speculations into fact has already been forcibly ejected from his position in Academia and shut down all his social media. That was the major hustler that was selling the Black Samurai historical fact narrative back to the west. The government in turn is posing questions to the university that employed him and vouched for him.

Yeah..... that's how Japan is dealing with this bullshit.

 

[Lord Panda]

Apparently Japan started an investigation on Thomas Lockey , the guy "consulting" Ubisoft about Yasuke, whom he said was "legendary samurai". He had also claimed that black slaves were popular in feudal Japan.
Japan said people could demand compensation over the fake assumptions of black slavery in Japan and Nihon University erased Thomas Lockey's work and resume. He has pretty much vanished since.
I think that's the main reason Japan is so angry.

I hope Paolo from Tokyo catches up with him and does a 'Day in the Life of a Grifter' collaboration video.

 

[Bernardougf]

Their official response, which can be read in full below, has been shared via the Assassin's Creed Twitter account half an hour ago:

I trully understand... its not like japan history has interesting japanese samurai characters that can be portrayed in this fictional japanese world ... for me its ok and I really think western devs and journalists would be perfectly fine if the protagonist of an historic African assassin's creed game was the one White guy that leaved there at the time. Afterall what matters is the fiction and the fun.

 

[john2gr]

The problem with AC: Shadows is the way they tried to advertise it. This quote is from the OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE.

"Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place in 16th-century Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama era. Players will play as two distinct characters, a Japanese shinobi, Naoe, and a real-life historical samurai, Yasuke."

So, saying that your game is fiction (after a whole backlash) when you clearly state in your press release that the character is a real-life historical samurai is pure nonsense. Just take the L instead of constantly lying to your customers.

 

[Kerotan]

Thanks for validating us Ubi. This message will be felt throughout the industry.

Read the replies under the Japanese version. Japanese people are based.

 

[Mokus]

At first they were obviously trying hard to pass this game as historically accurate. Now all of the sudden it's about exploring different choices and what not... Clearly it's damage control since correcting anything at this stage in the game development is almost impossible. They would need to delay the game probably even for a year.