Assassin’s Creed: Shadows is not a „feudal Japanese movie.” Game’s director explained Ubisoft’s take on Naoe and Yasuke’s story

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Assassin’s Creed: Shadows was developed by creators who have consistently stated that their work is primarily a video game, influenced rather than directly based on historical events. The process of uniquely interpreting Japanese culture presented challenges for Ubisoft, despite the fact that the game isn’t a historical documentary. This freedom enabled the studio to take creative liberties with the history.

“It’s not a feudal Japanese movie”

In a conversation with GamesRadar+, the director of “AC: Shadows”, David Nibbelin, shared that one of the most enjoyable aspects of working on this project was the freedom they had from not needing to narrate a conventional Japanese tale.

The Assassin’s Creed series doesn’t follow the traditional style of historical portrayals found in many feudal Japanese movies, as its approach to history is quite distinct.

Nibbelin openly stated that the team aimed to avoid portraying Japan in a merely clinical or stereotypical manner. Instead, they wanted players to immerse themselves in the story rather than watching a documentary. To achieve this, they incorporated contemporary aspects into the game as Ubisoft sought to innovate and experiment with their established formula.

In this situation, part of the freedom is shown through the presence of two main characters, Naoe and Yasuke. As Nibbelin points out, this offers a unique chance to view Japan through contrasting viewpoints.

In our cutscenes, we strive to add nuance by showcasing how Non-Player Characters (NPCs) respond differently based on your character’s identity. For instance, a samurai and a villager from Iga would elicit distinct reactions, allowing us to introduce subtle variations in their dialogue, movements, and even where they look.

The action-adventure game titled “Assassin’s Creed: Shadows” is now accessible on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Just three days after its launch, the game managed to draw in a staggering 2 million players, while yesterday it also surpassed the series record for the maximum number of concurrent players on Steam, previously held by “AC: Odyssey“.

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2025-03-25 02:03