A petition on Change.org, with over 45,000 signatures, is demanding the cancellation of Ubisoft’s upcoming game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, due to alleged historical and cultural inaccuracies. The petition accuses the game of perpetuating misunderstandings about the nature and role of samurai, which is seen as disrespectful to Japanese culture and history. The creators of the petition are demanding that Ubisoft immediately cancel the game’s release.
There is a growing controversy in Japan over Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with the Japanese trailer receiving over 50,000 dislikes on YouTube. Many comments accuse Ubisoft of disrespecting Japanese culture and are calling for a boycott of the game. However, it has been revealed that many of the petition signatories are not actually Japanese. For instance, an American soldier stationed in Okinawa expressed offense at Ubisoft’s portrayal of Japanese history and traditions.
The criticism of Assassin’s Creed Shadows in Japan primarily focuses on inaccuracies in architecture and depictions of Japanese life. The petition and negative comments on social media highlight the sensitivity of cultural representation in video games and the importance of accurate portrayals in respecting different cultures. Ubisoft is facing backlash from both Japanese and non-Japanese audiences over the alleged cultural inaccuracies in their highly anticipated game.