Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addressed concerns about Ubisoft’s upcoming game, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows,” during a government conference. Ishiba stated, “How to address this legally is something we need to discuss with relevant ministries. Defacing a shrine is out of the question – it is an insult to the nation itself.
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows is now available!
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Respecting the culture and religion of a country is fundamental, and we must make it clear that we will not accept acts that disregard them.”
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The controversy stems from Ubisoft’s depiction of Feudal Japan and the use of certain cultural symbols without permission in the game. The developer has faced backlash and issued public apologies, acknowledging the concerns and stating they had consulted with external consultants and historians. Another point of contention involved Ubisoft’s use of a one-legged Torii gate, a significant cultural symbol in Japan, in artwork without permission.
The gate referenced is located at the Sannō Shrine in Nagasaki, a site historically significant due to its proximity to the World War II atomic bomb hypocenter. Politician Hiroyuki Kada linked his concerns about the game to broader issues of “over-tourism” and increased vandalism in Japan.
Concerns over cultural representation in gaming
He argued that realistic depictions of shrine defacement in the game could inspire real-life actions among visitors. The shrine in question within the game’s gameplay videos is the Itatehyozu Shrine in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, part of Kada’s constituency. Masaki Ogushi, Vice Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry, responded by saying government agencies would collaborate to handle any consultations sought by the shrine.
However, he acknowledged that such a scenario remains hypothetical. To address these concerns, Ubisoft announced a day-one patch for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This update will make shrine-related objects like tables and shelving indestructible and limit the depiction of bloodshed in sacred areas.
Ubisoft faces significant pressure for Assassin’s Creed Shadows to perform well, having experienced several delays and the sales failure of last year’s “Star Wars Outlaws.” Despite the controversy, early reviews praised the game for refining the open-world formula. As the game prepares for release, it remains to be seen how these changes will be received by Japanese players and whether they will quell the concerns surrounding the cultural depictions in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Image Credits: Photo by JJ Ying on Unsplash
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
