It seems controversies have become a habit of Assassin’s Creed Shadows as the shrine dispute is getting out of hands now.

Since the announcement that Assassin’s Creed Shadows would take place in feudal Japan, the game has been the subject of a steady stream of cultural “controversy.” Because Yasuke is based on a real historical figure, there was faux outrage over his inclusion.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is going to be released on March 20, 2025. | Credit: Ubisoft.

A viral video from earlier this month has drawn the attention of Japanese shrine officials, bringing Assassin’s Creed Shadows back into the spotlight as the game nears its belated release date of March 20.

The shrine controversy in Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes a new turn

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is now in a big problem. | Credit: Ubisoft.

Officials from Hyogo Prefecture’s Itate Hyozu Shrine have stated that they are taking “appropriate action” in response to the shrine’s inclusion in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, according to Sankei News. The Itate Hyozu Shrine said in a statement that they were not contacted by Ubisoft about the shrine’s inclusion in Shadows and that they would have declined if Ubisoft had requested their consent.

In the controversial video, Yasuke is shown breaking into the place of worship and demolishing the altar and other items in the space. Although the player isn’t told to destroy the shrine directly, the prospect of doing so has infuriated some people.

It’s undeniable that the devastation of an admired religious site isn’t the most pleasant thing for those responsible for maintaining its modern counterpart, but it’s a stretch to suggest that a video game room with destructible elements is an act of outrageous disrespect. There is no promotional material for Assassin’s Creed Shadows that depicts the destruction of religious sites, and you are not required to destroy the shrine in order to advance in the game.

Controversy never left Assassin’s Creed alone

This is not the first of the sufferings for the franchise. | Credit: Ubisoft.

Fans of the series have noted that the violence in the Assassin’s Creed series does not specifically target a certain demographic of people. Along with any artistic license taken in producing these historical-inspired works of fiction, the mobs that players battle typically represent the presumed population of the area at that time.

Players usually engaged in combat with European crusaders in the original Assassin’s Creed game. In Black Flag, players engage in combat with European soldiers and Black and Indigenous pirates in the Caribbean.

Players typically engage in combat with different Japanese foot soldiers and samurai in Shadows. Pope Alexander VI, a villain from Assassin’s Creed 2, is famously defeated by beloved series protagonist Ezio in a fistfight.

In general, Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ critics have reacted negatively to the criticism the game seems to be getting for its historical accuracy—or lack thereof. Despite the series’ propensity to alter history, some, like the Assassin’s Creed source The Hidden One, claim that only Assassin’s Creed Shadows has received this much hate. The possibility of an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan has long thrilled many gamers, but it has also presented a number of challenges.