The saga surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft’s ambitious foray into feudal Japan, has taken yet another dramatic turn as of March 20, 2025. Once heralded as a dream project for fans of the long-running franchise, the game has become a lightning rod for controversy, financial intrigue, and corporate maneuvering. Reports have surfaced claiming that Ubisoft is “begging” its fanbase to accept Yasuke, the game’s Black samurai protagonist, amid a wave of backlash, while investors are allegedly forcing the company into a merger to salvage its plummeting fortunes. Clips of Ubisoft’s pleas and the ensuing fan reactions have gone viral, painting a picture of a company in crisis. What’s driving this chaos, and can Shadows—or Ubisoft itself—survive the storm? Let’s break it down.

Yasuke: A Samurai at the Center of the Storm

From the moment Assassin’s Creed Shadows was unveiled, Yasuke—a historical figure believed to be an African man who served under Oda Nobunaga in the 1580s—has been a polarizing choice for one of the game’s dual protagonists. Paired with Naoe, a fictional Japanese shinobi, Yasuke was pitched as a fresh perspective in a franchise known for blending history with creative liberty. Ubisoft touted his inclusion as a celebration of an underrepresented figure, a chance to explore a unique narrative in the lush backdrop of Sengoku-era Japan. But not everyone bought into the vision.

Fan reactions have ranged from cautious curiosity to outright rejection. Some argue that Yasuke, whose samurai status remains a matter of historical debate, feels like an odd fit for a game set in Japan—a setting fans have begged for decades, expecting a traditional Japanese lead. Others have accused Ubisoft of pandering to modern diversity trends, dubbing it “woke” and claiming it sacrifices authenticity for ideology. Clips circulating on X show players mocking Yasuke’s combat style—favoring brute force over stealth—as antithetical to the series’ assassin roots. “This ain’t Assassin’s Creed, it’s Samurai Smackdown,” one user quipped, summing up a sentiment that’s fueled boycott calls.

Now, reports suggest Ubisoft is “begging” fans to give Yasuke a chance. A YouTube video titled “Ubisoft BEGS Fans to Accept Yasuke + Assassin’s Creed Shadows Investors Order Company Merger,” posted by EndymionYT on March 16, 2025, claims the company is in damage-control mode. The video alleges that Ubisoft has issued statements pleading with players to embrace the character, emphasizing that skipping Yasuke in favor of Naoe is an option—a flexibility creative director Jonathan Dumont highlighted in a recent Screen Rant interview. “You can play as either protagonist for any reason,” Dumont said, a line some interpret as a tacit admission of the backlash’s impact. Whether this is truly “begging” or just strategic messaging, it’s clear Ubisoft is desperate to shift the narrative.

Bugs, Delays, and a Shaky Launch

The Yasuke controversy isn’t Shadows’ only headache. Launched today, March 20, 2025, after two delays from its original November 2024 date, the game has been plagued by technical issues that have only amplified fan discontent. Viral clips show NPCs glitching through walls, Yasuke’s cape spontaneously combusting, and Naoe falling through the map mid-stealth mission. “Ubisoft delayed it twice and still shipped this mess?” one X user posted alongside a video of a horse galloping upside-down. The bugs echo the troubled launches of Assassin’s Creed Unity and Star Wars Outlaws, the latter of which flopped in 2024 despite high expectations, putting Ubisoft on shaky financial ground.

Web searches reveal a mixed reception. NPR’s review calls Shadows “good, but not great,” praising its visuals and dual-protagonist system but noting a sluggish pace and unpolished feel. Reuters reports that Ubisoft is banking on the game to reverse its “crumbling fortunes,” with a stock price that’s hit its lowest point since 2015. The delays—first to February 14, then to March 20—were framed as efforts to “polish” the title, but some speculate they were also a bid to dodge the Yasuke backlash and buy time for damage control. Yet, as clips of glitches flood X with hashtags like #BoycottAssassinsCreedShadows, it’s unclear if the extra months made a difference.

Investors Step In: A Merger on the Horizon?

Amid the game’s rocky debut, a bombshell rumor has emerged: Ubisoft’s investors are pushing for a merger to save the sinking ship. The same EndymionYT video claims that the company’s board, under pressure from stakeholders, has ordered exploratory talks with potential buyers—most notably Tencent, a Chinese tech giant with a growing stake in Ubisoft. Posts on X echo this, with users speculating that Tencent’s influence might explain Yasuke’s prominence, citing a That Park Place article from October 2024 that alleged Tencent pushed the character to tank Ubisoft’s stock for a cheaper takeover.

Ubisoft’s financial woes lend credence to the merger buzz. The company’s market value has plummeted from over €10 billion in 2018 to under €2 billion today, per Reuters. Star Wars Outlaws’ failure, coupled with Skull & Bones’ disastrous $800 million flop, has left Ubisoft bleeding cash. A Bloomberg report from 2024 noted Tencent’s interest in buying out the company, potentially in collaboration with the Guillemot family, Ubisoft’s founders. The merger rumors gained traction after AJ Investments, a minority shareholder, penned an open letter in March 2025 calling for a sale to “third parties or private equity firms” like KKR or Blackstone, accusing management of “horrible mismanagement.”

The idea of Ubisoft “begging” fans while investors push a merger paints a dire picture: a company pleading for player goodwill to boost Shadows’ sales, only to be overruled by a board ready to sell. X posts like “Ubisoft’s done—merger’s the only way out” reflect a growing belief that the company’s days as an independent entity are numbered. But could a merger save Ubisoft—or doom its creative soul to corporate overlords?

The Fanbase Fractures

The Yasuke debate has split the Assassin’s Creed community in ways few saw coming. On one side are fans who embrace the game’s ambition. “Yasuke’s a badass—haters just don’t get it,” one X user posted, praising his kanabo-wielding combat as a refreshing twist. Web reviews from Eurogamer and Vice laud the game’s visuals—snow-dusted temples and vibrant seasons—and its refined stealth mechanics, with Naoe’s gadgets stealing the show. For these players, Shadows delivers the Japan they’ve dreamed of, bugs and all.

On the other side are those who feel betrayed. X threads decry Yasuke as a “forced DEI pick,” with some claiming Ubisoft is “teaching Japanese people their own history wrong.” The backlash has spilled into harassment, with Forbes reporting that Ubisoft is bracing for developer abuse post-launch, advising staff to avoid linking themselves to the game on social media. The controversy echoes broader “anti-DEI” trends online, amplified by figures like Elon Musk, who criticized Yasuke’s inclusion in 2024, calling it “hatred-feeding.”

Ubisoft’s response has been a tightrope walk. CEO Yves Guillemot’s October 2024 statement—“We’re not pushing any agenda”—aimed to soothe tensions, but his latest plea for fans to “enjoy” Shadows has been met with skepticism. “Too late, Yves,” one X user replied, pointing to the company’s dismissive tone toward early criticism, like its “Work in Progress” jab at bug complaints. The “begging” narrative, whether exaggerated or not, underscores a PR nightmare: a fanbase too divided to rally behind the game.

What’s Next for Ubisoft and Shadows?

As Assassin’s Creed Shadows hits shelves today, its fate—and Ubisoft’s—hangs in the balance. The game’s Metacritic score sits at a respectable 82, but sales will tell the real story. NPR’s Stephen Totilo warns that even a “mediocre performance” could trigger “significant changes” at Ubisoft, from layoffs to a full merger. Tencent’s shadow looms large, with X users speculating that a buyout could mean more “safe” games—or worse, a flood of mobile titles like Assassin’s Creed Jade.

For Shadows, the path forward is murky. A swift patch could fix the bugs, but the Yasuke divide runs deeper. Ubisoft’s option to skip him might appease some, yet it risks alienating others who see it as caving to pressure. The merger rumors add another layer: if Tencent takes over, will Shadows be the last hurrah of Ubisoft’s bold risks? Or will it limp on as a cautionary tale of a franchise stretched too thin?

Conclusion: A Plea in the Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is more than a game—it’s a microcosm of Ubisoft’s struggles. The “begging” for Yasuke’s acceptance, real or perceived, reflects a company desperate to reclaim its fans’ trust. The investor-driven merger talk hints at a future where creative control slips away. As clips of glitches and fan rants dominate X, one thing is clear: Shadows won’t silence the critics or save Ubisoft overnight. It’s a beautiful, flawed epic caught in a corporate storm—one that might just decide if Ubisoft rises again or fades into the shadows. For now, players will decide Yasuke’s fate, one swing of the kanabo at a time.