A That Park Place source has confirmed that Ubisoft delayed Assassin’s Creed Shadows in order to make narrative cuts that severely limit the role of Yasuke in the story.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Ubisoft made headlines recently by delaying the game a whole month. Many assumed at the time that Shadows was a buggy mess, similar to Ubisoft’s Star Wars: Outlaws when it launched. And while that may have been true (early hands on streams have shown more than a few glitches and bugs), we have it on good authority that there’s something else going on behind the scenes.
Yasuke’s Fall from Grace: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Shifts Focus to Naoe
As YouTube host Skill Up mentioned after playing the game for five hours, he primarily played as Yasuke but noted that the experience was vastly different—and inferior—compared to playing as Naoe.
According to him, Yasuke lacks the same versatility as Naoe, not just in combat but also in exploration. Surprisingly, Yasuke doesn’t have the same opportunities, such as climbing higher towers. This gave the impression that Yasuke is locked into a more limited, one-dimensional role within the game.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
That aligns with a rumor recently communicated by a That Park Place source speaking under the condition of anonymity.
According to our source, the $20 million delay of Assassin’s Creed Shadows was not merely to polish the game, but to shift focus away from Yasuke as the main protagonist.
Evidence of this can already be seen in the marketing, where Yasuke is increasingly absent from prominent posters that feature Naoe more prominently instead. This appears to be a reaction to the backlash Ubisoft has faced—not only from longtime fans of the franchise but also from many Japanese critics angered by Yasuke’s portrayal as a far more significant historical figure than he actually was.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Furthermore, rumors suggest that many of Yasuke’s quests, including main and side content, have been removed or heavily altered. These cuts are reportedly intended to avoid offending Japanese audiences and historians who have criticized the game’s historical inaccuracy. A significant portion of the controversy ties back to Thomas Lockley, whose work Ubisoft allegedly used as the primary inspiration for Yasuke’s character.
Lockley, who co-authored African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan, has been accused of grossly exaggerating and fabricating much of Yasuke’s history. His portrayal has been widely debunked by historians, who argue that Yasuke was likely a bodyguard and servant rather than a “legendary samurai” as Lockley claimed.
Lockley’s dismissal from discussions around the game has been subtle but noticeable. Ubisoft initially promoted him as a key source for the character but has since gone silent on his involvement. This silence coincides with a wave of backlash from scholars, particularly in Japan, who criticized Lockley’s claims as speculative at best and outright false at worst.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
It’s rumored that some of Yasuke’s cut content in the game—including quests tied to his supposed rise as a samurai—were directly influenced by Lockley’s work and later removed to avoid further controversy.
Ubisoft’s response to this backlash seems to include a shift in marketing focus, with greater emphasis on Naoe’s parkour system and the game’s shinobi elements. Trailers that initially highlighted Yasuke’s “samurai way” during the game’s announcement are now conspicuously less centered on him, reflecting a clear pivot in how the game is presented. Whether this last-minute reworking can salvage the project or not remains to be seen, but the changes seem like a desperate attempt to appease critics and salvage public perception.
From Samurai to Creed: Ubisoft Rewrites Yasuke’s Role in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
But it doesn’t end there. Our sources state that Ubisoft’s change in approach has gone even further.
The delay was used to refine Naoe’s parkour system significantly and to heavily alter many dialogue interactions between Yasuke, Naoe, and NPCs throughout the story. However, as our source mentioned, “they could only do so much.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
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Among these dialogue changes were discussions where Yasuke was previously presented as a samurai and celebrated for his renown among Japanese NPCs. Now, it seems this has been altered to focus on the Creed, which will be built by both main characters—with Naoe taking a more prominent role.
Ubisoft has also reworked cutscenes where Yasuke was initially featured more prominently with Naoe now portrayed as the driving force of the duo. From what we understand, it feels almost as though Naoe has taken the lead role, even though players will still have the option to switch between the two characters.
Our source also stated that the delay was primarily aimed at re-evaluating Yasuke’s role to avoid further bad press from “historical fanatics.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Ubisoft reportedly sought to minimize criticism from Japanese historians by making the game more historically accurate where possible. However, as seen in recent previews, many inaccuracies still remain.
For instance, watermelons were not introduced to Japan during the Sengoku era (the 15th–16th century), despite their presence in the game. Watermelons were brought to Japan much later, during the Edo period, likely via Chinese traders in the 17th century.
Additionally, the game’s depiction of Japan’s seasons is historically and geographically inaccurate, with cherry blossoms incorrectly shown blooming during summer rather than spring—a glaring mistake given how iconic and culturally significant the sakura season is in Japan.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
So, how much did Ubisoft really try to change? According to our source, the most egregious inaccuracies were related to Yasuke’s portrayal, and efforts were made to mitigate these issues. However, they added that there are still individuals within Ubisoft who remain adamant that Yasuke’s character will resonate with players and become a success, despite the backlash and mounting criticism.
Ubisoft’s Struggles Deepen as Shadows Faces a Lukewarm Reception
Either way, it’s shaping up to be a terrible month for Assassin’s Creed Shadows and an even worse start to the year for Ubisoft.
It doesn’t help their case that Rise of the Ronin, another samurai-themed game developed by Team Ninja—the creators of Nioh and Ninja Gaiden—has been well-received and recently announced its PC release date for March 11th, just nine days before Shadows.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
This timing will almost certainly siphon players away from Ubisoft, especially since Rise of the Ronin is expected to deliver a far more accurate and authentic samurai experience. One can’t help but wonder if this was a deliberate move by the Japanese developers of Rise of the Ronin to send a pointed message to Ubisoft about their blatant historical ignorance.
I suspect we’ll soon hear more insider leaks about the troubled production of Shadows once the game officially releases, which, based on current projections, seems destined for a lukewarm reception. But before that, there’s still an entire month ahead.
Will February bring better news for Ubisoft, or is the steady stream of bad press that follows them bound to catch up entirely?
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