GamesActionAssassin’s CreedAssassin’s Creed ShadowsAssassin’s Creed Shadows dev calls out Elon Musk for “feeding hatred” in response to criticism of Black samurai YasukeWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesActionAssassin’s CreedAssassin’s Creed ShadowsAssassin’s Creed Shadows dev calls out Elon Musk for “feeding hatred” in response to criticism of Black samurai YasukeWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
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(Image credit: Ubisoft)
An Assassin’s Creed lead has responded to criticism from Elon Musk over Assassin’s Creed Shadow’s inclusion of a Black samurai main protagonist.
For some context, one of the playable protagonists inAssassin’s Creed Shadowsis a samurai named Yasuke who also happens to be a Black person. People became upset over what they perceive as a slight against historical accuracy, and as he is wont to do these days, Musk chimed in with a pithy tweet claiming “DEI kills art.” DEI in this instance refers to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Assassin’s Creed series vice president executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté was asked about this interaction in an interview withGame File(thanks,VGC), and Côté revealed that, not only has he seen Musk’s tweet, but he badly wanted to reply but decided against engaging the controversial businessman.
“That tweet generated emotions, that… the first thing I wanted to do was go back on X – that I had deleted – and just tweet back,” Côté said. “And I just took a step back. I have a mindfulness app on my phone. And I did a bit of mindfulness to try to explore the emotions that this tweet created.”
Yasuke was a real-life historical figure generally recognized as the earliest documented person of African origin to appear in Japanese historical records. Although his life isn’t well-documented, it’s known that he was a man of African descent who served as a retainer for the Japanese daimyō Oda Nobunaga between 1581 and 1582.
“We’ve got a super-mysterious historical character from which not much is known about,” Côté said. “And for us, it was what we want in Assassin’s Creed.”
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Additionally, Côté said, “what Elon says is not the game that we’re building,” adding, “People will have to play the game for themselves. And if, within the first 11 minutes and 47 seconds, they are not convinced of what we’re doing, we can have the discussion.”
The reason Côté listed that very specific amount of time isn’t clear, but it could be the length of an early cutscene in theupcoming Assassin’s Creed gamethat explains a little more about Yasuke. “I was reviewing the game very recently, and I was like, ‘the answer is there!’ he said. “I just hope and wish that people can keep an open mind about this and see the game for what it is. It’s an Assassin’s Creed game, and I believe the best one we’ve ever built.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place in feudal Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama era andlets players switch between the combat-oriented Yasuke and the stealthy Naoe. The open-world RPG launches on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on November 15.
Following historical error complaints, Assassin’s Creed Shadows director promises the trailer’s architectural inaccuracies will be ironed out for the RPG’s launch.
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Ubisoft had to “retool” the mobile game lore for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with a brand new modern narrative that “will develop over time”
Ubisoft had to “retool” the mobile game lore for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with a brand new modern narrative that “will develop over time”
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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3
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4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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1
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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2
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
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4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”