No, the Dark Samurai is not going to be removed from Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Since the presentation ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowsan element of the game is at the origin of a deplorable controversy: the presence of a black samurai as a protagonist. The case grew so big that a petition was organized to have the game canceled. Now that the game has been officially postponed by Ubisoft, some believe that the character, named Yasuke, will be removed from the game.

This rumor was shared by a fringe, as we can see in this tweet published on September 30. It turns out to be completely false, according to information from Tom Henderson, who reveals behind the scenes of Ubisoft’s decision. “ Let me first address the weird rumors about Yasuke — he’s not going to be retired », Warns the very well-informed journalist, the source of often proven indiscretions. If there are many changes that are on the agenda for Assassin’s Creed Shadowsthe overhaul of the casting is not part of the project.

Yasuke will not be removed fromAssassin’s Creed Shadows

It would have been heartbreaking to see Ubisoft give in to these racist demands – especially since Yasuke is a character based on an individual who actually existed. It is true that his status as a samurai is a subject of discussion, but Assassin’s Creed Shadows does not aim to be an academic work — it is a work of fiction.

On the other hand, the developers should indeed focus on various elements linked to the historical context of the game, in particular the few points of tension around the representation of Japanese culture – this is what was the starting point of the petition, by the way.

Tom Henderson cites several changes to expect: the story of Yasuke and how he is shown, architectural details, and more historical veracity. So many points that should have been corrected well in advance. However, it seems that there was internal turmoil, with historians brought in too late in the process and communication problems between the different teams.

The gameplay should also benefit from some notable developments, the result of the few tests carried out internally. Developers have reportedly been campaigning for a delay for several months already. Ubisoft obviously waited until the last moment – ​​a month and a half before launch – to decide.

The new date can be seen as a good thing for Assassin’s Creed Shadowswhich will likely be better than expected. There is in any case a reason for hope: the first pre-order figures would be solid while the arrival on the first day on Steam should solidify the launch a little more.