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The controversy that broke out when it was revealed thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowswould feature Yasuke as a protagonist was unimaginably large, due to the fact he is an African male.
Since then, people have been tirelessly debating whether his inclusion in the game is historically accurate or not. TheShadowscharacter is based on an actual historical figure, but people can’t seem to decide whether he was a samurai. One fan believes this debate is completely irrelevant.
The Assassin’s Creed Shadows Debate Is Overdone
The internet broke into a frenzy when they discovered Yasuke was a protagonist. Many preferred it to be a male of Japanese origin, accusing Ubisoft of throwing away historical accuracy in favor of making things ‘woke.’
However, the character isbased on a real-life historical figure. When that was revealed, the goalpost was moved—was the real-life counterpart actually a samurai under Oda Nobunaga, or simply a retainer?
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The debate continues even to this day, as the historical context is pretty vague. However, one Redditor feels that it’s pointless debating this at all.
As an Asian person themselves, they call the argument “stupid” because, at the end of the day, the game is a work of fiction. While it would be considered a problem if it was immersion-breaking, OP describes it best:
Yasuke appears to be a very minor historical figure (basically a blank slate onto which whatever the game developers want can be projected)
They feel the core of the debate, and where the problem lies, is representation. And what Ubisoft has done feels problematic to them, from another perspective.
Was It Wrong to Not Have an Asian Male Protagonist for Shadows?
In modern times, there is a lot more diversity in media compared to earlier, and they feel the concept of the caricature “token Black character” in every piece of media is outdated.
Representation in mainstream media is increasing, and with so many different sects of minorities underrepresented, they feel it becomes a choice of which group to represent more.
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OP then goes on to talk about the lack of Asian male leads in Hollywood and video games and their belief that Asian men are less represented in media than Black men. If this is true, would Ubisoft’s choice of protagonist inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsbe problematic?
One reply argues that Ubisoft is competing with a big seller likeGhost of Tsushima, and it needed something that could stand out. With each protagonist serving a different purpose, it makes for some unique gameplay.
Another reply expresses that, while they question the lack of a male Samurai in the game, they believe it’s hard to judge until the game comes out.
There’s very much a possibility that Ubisoft included Yasuke for narrative purposes, above all else. Playing as a native shinobi alongside a foreign Samurai has great potential, story-wise.
What do you think about this debate on representation and historical accuracy with Ubisoft’s new game? Let us know in the comments below!
Vibha Hegde
Critic/Gaming Writer
Articles Published :594
Vibha is an avid gamer that has been writing about video games for several years. When they’re not complaining about the lack of a Bloodborne sequel or brushing up on the Yokoverse lore, Vibha is busy watching 3-hour video essays on horror games they’re too scared to play themselves.
