Ubisoft cancels Assassin’s Creed figurine after cultural misstep

Someone needs to do their Japanese homework.
Samurai figures in battle-ready poses.
(Image via PureArts)
TL;DR
  • Ubisoft canceled an Assassin's Creed figurine after cultural outcry.
  • The figurine's one-legged Torii gate was seen as disrespectful.
  • Assassin's Creed has been criticized for a lack of cultural sensitivity before.

Ubisoft learned its lesson on cultural sensitivity this week the hard way. The company behind the Assassin’s Creed series has pulled the plug on a planned figurine for their upcoming game “Assassin’s Creed Shadows” after it caused an uproar online.

The figurine of Yasuke, one of the game’s main characters, designed by collectibles company PureArts, featured a one-legged Torii gate. This symbol is closely linked to the historic nuclear bomb attack on Nagasaki in 1945. The use of this imagery in a collectible item struck many in and outside of Japan as tone-deaf and disrespectful.

Community backlash was swift and intense. Gamers and cultural commentators alike criticized how such an oversight could occur, especially given Ubisoft’s claims of working with Japanese cultural experts during the game’s development. However, we shouldn’t expect too much historical accuracy and cultural sensitivity from a game where fighting dragons and other mythical creatures occurs.

This isn’t the first time Ubisoft has faced criticism for historical inaccuracies, or cultural misrepresentations. Previous titles like Mirage and Odyssey, have also come under fire for similar issues.

In response to the outcry, Ubisoft made the decision to cancel the figurine entirely. The company has pledged to review its approval processes to prevent similar mistakes in the future. Hopefully, they will remember to get a person on the team next time that actually understands the depicted culture.

Community Reactions
How do you feel about this story?
πŸ‘
0
πŸ‘Ž
0
πŸ˜‚
0
😑
0
😒
0
Explore More
Meet the Editor