Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, has discussed the development of Assassin’s Creed Shadows during an appearance at Paris Game Week, going into detail on the the backlash that some fans levelled at the stealth-action title, described by the executive as a ‘battle’ that Ubisoft eventually won.
Speaking in the presentation (via Game File translation), Guillemot said that the French publishing giant was “initially surprised by the extent of the attacks. We quickly realised that it was a battle, a battle with our fans, to demonstrate that we were, in fact, more of a video game than a message.”
The executive then played a video in English that went into more detail on the how Ubisoft approached the backlash.
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What happens when a legendary franchise reveals one of its most anticipated experiences, only to become the game everyone loves to hate? When conversation shifts from gameplay to ideology? When everything you say only adds fuel to the fire?”
In September 2024, we had our backs against the wall, and that’s when it clicked. To get out of the corner, we had to stop focusing on those who hated us. We had to start firing up our allies. So we stopped trying to win the argument, and leaned on what had carried us for 18 years – the Assassin’s Creed brand.
We moved from promises to proof. Instead of fearing leaks, we showed the game, releasing in-depth gameplay assets and letting the experience speak for itself. We opened the doors to creators, media, and fans. We gave them access, got them behind the scenes, to let them see the talent and craft our teams were bringing to the game. Thousands of assets produced in a matter of weeks.
In case you didn’t follow much of the pre-release stories for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, a number of folk expressed their dislike for the game featuring a playable black samurai named Yasuke, who is based on an actual historical character. Some people stated Yasuke was ‘not a real samurai’ and accused Ubisoft of being ‘woke,’ while members of Shadows’ development team were the subject of harassment and threats from so-called ‘fans.’