Assassin’s Creed Shadows has garnered significant attention for Ubisoft, but its release, set against the backdrop of Feudal Japan, has sparked various controversies and discussions. One of the prominent figures in the game, the Naoe character, voiced by Masumi Tsunoda, expressed that the ability to deface shrines within the game “hurts my heart a little bit.”
In addition to the controversies raised by some gamers regarding the inclusion of Yasuke as a protagonist and debates over his historical status as a samurai (which he was), the initial capability to demolish elements within Shadows’ shrines caught considerable attention. Japan’s prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, addressed inquiries on the topic from a politician, expressing concern that “allowing players to attack and destroy real-world locations in the game without permission could encourage similar behavior in real life.” Ishiba pointed out that in reality, “defacing a shrine is out of the question – it is an insult to the nation itself,” stressing the necessity of “respecting the culture and religion of a country, and we must clarify that we will not merely accept actions that dismiss them.”
During an interview with Insider Gaming at the BAFTA Games Awards this week, Tsunoda was questioned about her thoughts on whether Ubisoft had effectively represented Shadows amidst concerns regarding the authenticity of its portrayal (notably, there were earlier complaints surrounding the reveal trailer that depicted inaccurately styled tatami mats). Tsunoda remarked, “as a Japanese Naoe, I’m satisfied with my job, with what I was able to convey.” Nevertheless, she added: “You know, as Japanese, we grow up with the whole shrine, and the sacred mirrors, and all of that, and I saw in the video games that those are destroyable. So those things just [do] not happen. It’s like, just watching that kind of hurts my heart a little bit.”
She elaborated: “You’re able to do some things in the games that you would never, ever be able to do in Japan, and those do hurt me. It’s not authentic to be able to do something like that.”
It’s important to mention that Ubisoft had previously issued a day-one patch for Shadows that rendered tables and shelves within shrines indestructible, along with significantly reducing blood depictions by eliminating any blood shown when attacking unarmed civilians. As a result, the extent of destruction permissible in shrines has been considerably curtailed since the game’s launch.
Don’t miss our Assassin’s Creed Shadows review to discover why it holds a prominent spot in our ranking of the best Assassin’s Creed games.