Assassin’s Creed Shadows has seen its fair share of controversies. With many pointing to Yasuke’s status as a non-samurai, the lack of historical accuracy, and more, this particular Ubisoft release has been in hot waters for many months now.

Fortunately for Ubisoft, discussions around the game have been more positive lately. The gaming giant also appears to have shifted its marketing strategy away from Yasuke. As an example, the studio seems to have removed the character from the pre-order banner.

Why it matters: Ubisoft is betting big on its flagship title since the studio has suffered various financial disappointments in recent years.

Assassin's Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Pre-order Banner Comparison via Neogaf

Head over to the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ubisoft page, and you’ll find Naoe prominently featured on the very first slide that advertises a pre-order.

This isn’t too shocking considering Naoe’s role as one of the game’s leads, but as pointed out, this exact banner previously featured both Yasuke and Naoe. It seems this is a small course correction by Ubisoft as it attempts to shift attention away from the game’s controversies.

This is also not the first time corrections have been made regarding Yasuke. The gaming giant previously removed mentions of him being a samurai on the official Assassin’s Creed Shadows Steam page, likely due to the discourse around his status in Japanese history.

It is important to note that Yasuke is still featured on the store page. However, the initial few slides are all based on Naoe, further exemplifying the shift in attention. Yasuke was previously the focus of Ubisoft’s marketing.

Assassin's Creed Shadows

Yasuke’s Inclusion As A Protagonist Continues To Be Problematic For Ubisoft

Anyhow, Yasuke remains a major part of the Assassin’s Creed Shadows experience. His heavy-hitting combat style helps add variety to Ubisoft’s RPG formula, making it all too important to completely ignore so late into the game’s development.

Ubisoft’s latest RPG addition to the franchise arrives in just a few more months, and the publisher is hoping for a major success in the wake of potential buyouts and financial bankruptcy.