Assassin’s Creed Shadows Debut Sparks Applause and Controversy | Image Source: www.pcgamesn.com
TORONTO, Canada, March 20, 2025 – The RPG, Creed Shadows, of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, of Ubisoft, officially released on March 20, and within hours, the publisher announced an incredible milestone – more than a million players had already gone to Japan Feudal at 4:00 p.m. local time. Available in blank PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, driving a day of the game was nothing less explosive, ensuring its position as the world’s best-selling sales game on Steam for revenue. But as the base of the game player quickly swollen, his beginnings were not completely soft. Controversia made in Japan, forcing Ubisoft to act quickly and subtly, including a daily patch that points to cultural sensibilities.
According to Ubisoft’s official social media release on the day of launch: “It’s not even 4:00 p.m. here in Canada and Assassin’s Shadows have already spent 1 million players! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining this adventure in Japan Feudal. We are more than excited to start this journey with you!”
This tone of celebration paved the way for what should have been a triumphant return to the franchise. However, Ubisoft’s last entry is not just playing mechanics, it is a delicate cultural needle in the midst of geopolitical examination and public discourse.
Why the political controversy of Assassin Creed Shadows in Japan?
Although the game had a strong launch, political concern quickly emerged in Japan, the scene of Assassin’s Crete shadows. At a government meeting on 19 March, Hiroyuki Kada, a Japanese politician and member of the House of Administrators, raised concerns about the representation of temples and shrines in the game, especially those that reflected sites in the real world. Kada’s fears focused on the potential of the game not to respect sacred cultural monuments or, worse, to inspire the disadvantage of real life.
Their concerns echoed in a sober statement: “I fear that allowing players to attack and destroy places in the real world in the game without permission can encourage similar behavior in real life. Sanctuary officials and local residents are also concerned about this.”
In an unexpected and very unusual movement, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba answered the question directly. It noted that the issue would be discussed in coordination with several ministries and noted the importance of cultural preservation. He added that “the elimination of a sanctuary is out of the question, it is an insult to the nation itself. Respect for a country’s culture and religion is fundamental, and we must make it clear that we will not simply accept the acts I despise them.”
The sanctuary at the centre of the debate was identified as Itatehyozu Shrine in Hameji, Hyogo Prefecture, Kada District. Officials of the sanctuary reportedly confirmed that Ubisoft had not previously requested permission to use his name or likeness, fuelling the national discourse on digital ethics and artistic freedom.
How did Ubisoft react to the backlash?
In a movement that avoided the fanfare of an important announcement, Ubisoft launched a quiet but continuous patch to disable the situation. IGN indicated that the patch, which is applied worldwide, includes several improvements in cultural sensitivity:
- Tables and racks in temples and shrines are now indestructible.
- Citizens without weapons no longer bleed when attacked, particularly reducing unintended blood spill in sacred spaces.
- Clipping issues for character outfits, horse navigation bugs, and other minor fixes were also addressed.
As IGN said, Ubisoft refused to frame the patch as a direct response to Japanese criticism, but the timing and attention to the mechanisms related to the sanctuary makes it difficult to ignore the correlation. The silent management of the company suggests a strategy of downsizing while preserving creative autonomy.
Are the created Assassin Shadows performing well among the players?
Despite the noise surrounding his release, the player’s reception seems largely positive. In Steam, the game has a “Very Positive” rating with 82% of nearly 4000 user reviews that offer praise. Critics echoed this sentiment; IGN appreciated the game 8 / 10, saying: “By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassin’s Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open style he has developed over the past decade. »
Simultaneous data from Steam revealed a peak of 41,412 players day of launch. While this figure follows the age of BioWare Dragon: The number of Veilguard launches (70,414) is expected to increase as weekend gaming activity increases. Notably, neither Sony nor Microsoft provide statistics on public players, so the scope of console engagement remains uncertain.
Why are the Assassin Shadows created so important to Ubisoft?
Behind the scenes, the shadows created by Assassin have a huge weight for Ubisoft. The study suffered from a couple of difficult years, including the cancellation of great games, layoffs, study closures, and insufficient performance of titles like Star Wars Outlaws. According to several sources, including Forbes, this game is not only a new installation, it is a lifeline.
According to reports, the founding family of Ubisoft Guillemot even explored partnership talks with Tencent to maintain control of the company. This paints an image of a publisher in survival mode, hoping Shadows can reverse a disturbing trajectory.
What role does the performance play in the reception of the game?
The dispute was not limited to shrines. Another point of inflammation was the protagonist of the game, Yasuke, a historic black samurai. Some social media circles have called the game “wooke”, questioning the inclusion of Yasuke and its narrative weight. But many players and critics argue that the reaction is false.
How Forbes points out that Yasuke’s portrait is barely out of place in a franchise known for doubling history, where Leonardo da Vinci builds gadgets and players against the pope. A quotation better illustrates this feeling: “The story of Yasuke is more interesting because of his race and the dynamics he creates within Japanese society. His place and ascension in him do not tell convincing stories. ”
Others compare Yasuke’s inclusion with films like The Last Samurai and Shogun, saying that criticism feels racially selective. In the context of a fictional universe where creative freedoms are even for the course, Yasuke character is not an anomaly.
What do critics and fans think?
While some elements of the fan base deplore the game playing too safe, this criticism is rooted in familiarity – without offense. Many think the title is fine-tuning rather than redefining the formula. The players kissed the double-protagonist mechanic with Yasuke and Naoe, although some note that the balance between the two could be improved: Yasuke does not have access to the iconic flight powers of the series.
As reported PCGames N, the aesthetic appeal and gaming enamel of the game were widely praised, even when some critics reported rhythm and narrative fatigue. The created Assassin Shadows may not rewrite the book of rules, but it carries out its vision with style and conviction.
What about the shadows of Assassin in Crete?
Now that the initial shock waves have passed, the accent becomes durability. Will the shadows keep the player’s engagement for weeks and months? Will Ubisoft continue to refine his post-launch? These issues will form the long-term legacy of the game.
Whatever the final verdict, it is clear that the Assassin Shadows created have become more than another entry into a long-term franchise. It is a case study on how to fill art, commerce and culture, and how game developers are increasingly invited to navigate the sensitivities of the real world while creating virtual.
For now, Ubisoft can expire. Launch figures are promising, returns are mostly positive, and early controversy has been accompanied by action rather than silence. If this impulse leads them through the remains to see, but one thing is true: Assassin’s creative shadows have the attention of all.
