Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has spoken out against the depictions of shrines in the upcoming game Assassin’s Creed Shadows, expressing concerns that players may be inspired to deface real-world locations after playing the game. Ishiba stated that defacing a shrine is “an insult to the nation itself” and that respecting local cultures is fundamental.
However, IGN has discovered that Ubisoft has taken steps to address these concerns, releasing a day-one patch for the game that makes tables and shelving in in-game shrines indestructible and reduces non-essential depictions of bloodshed. This move appears to be in response to protests from Japanese citizens who were upset by the game’s depiction of Feudal Japan.
The controversy surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows has led to calls for greater sensitivity and respect for local cultures, particularly among Japanese politicians. Hiroyuki Kada, a member of the House of Councillors, expressed concerns that players may be inspired to engage in vandalism or other destructive behavior after playing the game.
Despite these concerns, Prime Minister Ishiba’s comments seemed to focus more on theoretical real-life copycat actions rather than directly addressing the game itself. The situation has sparked debate over the responsibility of game developers to balance artistic expression with respect for local cultures and traditions.
The game’s release has been delayed several times, and Ubisoft is under pressure to perform well globally after a string of high-profile flops in recent years. IGN’s review of Assassin’s Creed Shadows praised the game’s improvements to its existing systems, but the controversy surrounding it may impact its commercial success.
Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/the-prime-minister-of-japan-responded-to-a-question-about-assassins-creed-shadows-today-heres-whats-actually-going-on