Earlier this year, conservative gamers waged a "culture war" against Assassin's Creed Shadows. Ubisoft's decision to feature Yasuke, an African man who served a 16th-century Japanese lord, had prompted a debate over historical revisionism, racial representation, and corporate media agendas.
Let's begin by discussing who exactly Yasuke was, as well as his significance. Historical accounts drawn from Jesuit letters and Japanese chronicles like the Shinchōkōki (The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga) state that Yasuke arrived in Japan in 1579, accompanying the high-ranking Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano.
Let's begin by discussing who exactly Yasuke was, as well as his significance. Historical accounts drawn from Jesuit letters and Japanese chronicles like the Shinchōkōki (The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga) state that Yasuke arrived in Japan in 1579, accompanying the high-ranking Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano.
In 1581, during a visit to the capital, Yasuke's presence caused a sensation that drew the attention of Oda Nobunaga, the era's most powerful warlord. Fascinated by him, Nobunaga took Yasuke into his service, bestowing upon him a Japanese name, a residence, a stipend, and a sword. Yasuke remained in Nobunaga's retinue until 1582, when he fought for the Oda clan during the Honnō-ji Incident, the coup that resulted in Nobunaga's death. He was captured by the opposing forces and subsequently returned to the Jesuits, after which he disappears from the historical record.
A central point of contention, both for historians and modern commentators, is whether Yasuke can be classified as a "samurai." Proponents of his samurai status point to compelling circumstantial evidence. The Shinchōkōki states Nobunaga granted him a stipend, or fuchi (扶持). Linguistic analysis shows that the chronicle's author, Ōta Gyūichi, used this term exclusively in the context of rewarding or hiring samurai. This evidence is compounded by the facts that he was given a residence and a sword, carried weapons, fought with a katana during the Honnō-ji Incident, was mobilized for the Takeda campaign, and remained with Nobunaga even after "ordinary soldiers" were dismissed.
A central point of contention, both for historians and modern commentators, is whether Yasuke can be classified as a "samurai." Proponents of his samurai status point to compelling circumstantial evidence. The Shinchōkōki states Nobunaga granted him a stipend, or fuchi (扶持). Linguistic analysis shows that the chronicle's author, Ōta Gyūichi, used this term exclusively in the context of rewarding or hiring samurai. This evidence is compounded by the facts that he was given a residence and a sword, carried weapons, fought with a katana during the Honnō-ji Incident, was mobilized for the Takeda campaign, and remained with Nobunaga even after "ordinary soldiers" were dismissed.
Despite the primary source evidence, the most prominent criticism from some was that Yasuke's portrayal in AC Shadows was "historically inaccurate." They alleged that elevating a Black man to the role of a protagonist samurai, when there were more relevant non-Black figures they could have used, was done merely satisfy diversity mandates. This argument, however, was rightfully attacked for its racist undertones, especially given these folks typically had no issue in other instances where the AC games circumvented historical fact or accuracy in pursuit of creative license.
The willingness of critics to accept the fantastical elements within the other games of the AC series while rejecting Yasuke as protagonist reveals how they selectively use "historical accuracy" to police the boundaries of cultural representation, particularly concerning race. Some critics argued that Yasuke being a real historical figure rather than a fictional one justified enhanced scrutiny. But this overlooks the fact that there are several instances of Japanese media altering historical figures without provoking similar international outrage. This suggests that, for conservative gamers, some historical inaccuracies are acceptable so long as they match their expectations, while others that challenge established narratives are deemed unacceptable.
Consider the 2024 television adaptation of the book Shogun. Despite its own significant historical alterations, it was widely perceived as being respectful of Japanese culture. And yet, critics of Shadows claimed this quality was somehow absent in Ubisoft's approach, which they framed as an imposition of foreign values rather than a respectful engagement with Japanese history.
The muted reception towards the game's second protagonist, Naoe, a fictional Japanese woman and ninja, further contests the idea that critiques of Yasuke's inclusion are driven by questions about historical accuracy rather than blatant racism. Indeed, many highlighted that the overwhelming, near-exclusive focus of critics on Yasuke exposed the disingenuous nature of their supposed concern for authentic Japanese representation. As one Reddit user observed, critics "are actively erasing [Naoe] from the conversation" because she did not disrupt the critics' biased interpretation of cultural grievance.
The backlash against Shadows did not occur in a vacuum; it followed a familiar pattern of manufactured outrage and harassment campaigns that have become endemic to video game culture. Observers explicitly connected this dynamic to the 2014 GamerGate controversy, which provided the blueprint for how to use online platforms to organize campaigns against developers, journalists, and fans over the perceived injection of progressive politics into gaming.
The events surrounding Shadows mirrored the backlash to games like The Last of Us Part II, where the inclusion of diverse characters sparked similar accusations of "woke" pandering and led to developer harassment. It is clear that these are not isolated controversies, but rather part of a longstanding conservative campaign to attract gamers to right wing ideologies via the use of inflammatory and often sensationalized or poorly informed arguments.
The willingness of critics to accept the fantastical elements within the other games of the AC series while rejecting Yasuke as protagonist reveals how they selectively use "historical accuracy" to police the boundaries of cultural representation, particularly concerning race. Some critics argued that Yasuke being a real historical figure rather than a fictional one justified enhanced scrutiny. But this overlooks the fact that there are several instances of Japanese media altering historical figures without provoking similar international outrage. This suggests that, for conservative gamers, some historical inaccuracies are acceptable so long as they match their expectations, while others that challenge established narratives are deemed unacceptable.
Consider the 2024 television adaptation of the book Shogun. Despite its own significant historical alterations, it was widely perceived as being respectful of Japanese culture. And yet, critics of Shadows claimed this quality was somehow absent in Ubisoft's approach, which they framed as an imposition of foreign values rather than a respectful engagement with Japanese history.
The muted reception towards the game's second protagonist, Naoe, a fictional Japanese woman and ninja, further contests the idea that critiques of Yasuke's inclusion are driven by questions about historical accuracy rather than blatant racism. Indeed, many highlighted that the overwhelming, near-exclusive focus of critics on Yasuke exposed the disingenuous nature of their supposed concern for authentic Japanese representation. As one Reddit user observed, critics "are actively erasing [Naoe] from the conversation" because she did not disrupt the critics' biased interpretation of cultural grievance.
The backlash against Shadows did not occur in a vacuum; it followed a familiar pattern of manufactured outrage and harassment campaigns that have become endemic to video game culture. Observers explicitly connected this dynamic to the 2014 GamerGate controversy, which provided the blueprint for how to use online platforms to organize campaigns against developers, journalists, and fans over the perceived injection of progressive politics into gaming.
The events surrounding Shadows mirrored the backlash to games like The Last of Us Part II, where the inclusion of diverse characters sparked similar accusations of "woke" pandering and led to developer harassment. It is clear that these are not isolated controversies, but rather part of a longstanding conservative campaign to attract gamers to right wing ideologies via the use of inflammatory and often sensationalized or poorly informed arguments.
To close, the debate over Yasuke was fueled by a social media ecosystem that rewards conservative outrage. At its core, this controversy was less about Yasuke, and more about who has the authority to shape portrayals of the past for present day audiences. We will surely see similar debates arise within the gaming community in the years to come.