Despite the release of a potential “Game of the Year” winner on PS5, there are still plenty of big games coming out in 2024 that gamers should look forward to. The one that Ubisoft hopes resonates with everyone is Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The next major entry in the beloved franchise is aiming to go big with its Feudal Japan storyline, dual protagonists that gamers can enjoy playing, and new elements that are meant to help move the series forward gameplay-wise. However, if you recall, not everyone was on board with the title when it was fully showcased, and that led to questions about how well it would do.
You see when Assassin’s Creed Shadows was announced, and it revealed that the legendary “black samurai” Yasuke would be in the title alongside a female shinobi named Naoe, many threw a hissy fit. Specifically, they “didn’t like the inclusivity” of the characters or that it was “historically inaccurate” to have the two as the main characters. First off, this franchise is known for its “alternative history” in every way. Just look at ANY game in the series that has real historical figures, and you’ll find that they never met an assassin or templar that “drastically influenced their lives.”
Second, Yasuke was a real person and a real samurai, so that’s not inaccurate. As for Naoe, she herself might not have been a real character, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a female shinobi. They were ninja! They didn’t exactly advertise who they were and what they did. That was the whole point of their “class!” They did the “shadow work” so that they wouldn’t have to be as big and flashy as the samurai, who were their sworn enemies. Even if you look at places like Wikipedia, you’ll find that true, solid information on them is light at best.
Going back to the video game, when Tom Henderson saw someone taking a crack at Ubisoft because of the upcoming title, he noted that the game’s pre-orders were “strong.”
What that means specifically can be debated, but it’s clearly not failing, and if positive reviews come out for it, that will likely build the launch sales to a good level. There’s already plenty of hate in the gaming industry right now; we don’t need to add to it by layering on prejudices and other negative feelings, okay?
Oh, and if you didn’t see, check out our interview with series fan, and epic AEW wrestler, Will Ospreay!
