The Yasuke controversy in Assassin’s Creed Shadows rages on, yet fans overlooked his presence in Nioh 2. Is the backlash justified?

Ever since Ubisoft revealed Assassin’s Creed Shadows, one name has dominated the controversy surrounding the game: Yasuke. His inclusion as one of the two playable protagonists in a game set in Feudal Japan has sparked intense debate among fans, many of whom want him removed.

Fans are still angry about the protagonist’s choice. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

While Ubisoft has since taken multiple delays to refine the game, it has remained firm in its decision to keep Yasuke, a move that continues to divide the fanbase. Now, with just a month left until release, he still remains a focal point of fans’ criticism.

Many fans argue that he doesn’t belong in the game, citing concerns about historical accuracy. While the reasoning may be understandable, there’s a glaring hypocrisy in this debate, where was this outrage when he was featured in Nioh 2?

Why didn’t Nioh 2 face the same backlash as Assassin’s Creed Shadows?

Fans need to stop being a hypocrite. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

It’s true that Yasuke was not the protagonist in Nioh 2, but he was still a significant character in the game, yet his appearance didn’t trigger outrage from any fans. Why is it that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is facing such heavy scrutiny, while Nioh 2 seemingly got a free pass?

There are various arguments that Nioh 2 had a well-crafted story and took the character story to a different path, but doesn’t fully explain the selective outrage. The game isn’t even out yet, it is set to be released on March 20th.

If the issue with him is about historical accuracy, Ubisoft has never been a studio known for strictly following historical accuracy, Assassin’s Creed has always blended fact with fiction.

Sure, the studio made a lot of fumbles with the promotional material and played too close to the flame. It got burned for it and is now trying to make things straight.

But it’s interesting to see how suddenly, everyone is digging through history books to discredit Yasuke’s role when the series has been taking liberties with its historical settings for years now.

While the arguments from upset fans are justifiable, they also reveal an inconsistency in how fans react to historical figures in gaming. It seems that his presence is only an issue when he takes center stage as a protagonist.

A call for an open mind

The game is set to release on March 20th. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

Once again, it’s fair to have concerns about Yasuke’s role in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but outright rejecting him before even experiencing the full narrative feels premature.

More importantly, where is the gamer mindset of gameplay first? It seems that, just like developers, players are also slowly shifting their focus away from gameplay. Rather than discussing mechanics, level design, or combat depth, the conversation has been dominated by controversy.

Ubisoft has promised an engaging story, and perhaps his inclusion will make more sense within the context of the game. Instead of dismissing him outright, players should give the game’s narrative a chance or wait for a review they trust before forming their final opinions.

Believe it or not, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ success will fully depend on the quality of its gameplay and overall storytelling. If the game delivers on its various promises, the controversy will not matter and hopefully be put to rest.

In the end, as players wait for the release of this controversial title, it’s worth asking: if a single character’s presence is such an issue now, why wasn’t it back then?