Since its announcement, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has navigated a series of controversies, with the latest sparking considerable debate among its player community. At the center of this latest discussion is a romance option involving the character Yasuke, a legendary black samurai, and Ibuki, who is identified in the game as a non-binary character.
Romance Options in Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Yasuke and Ibuki
Within the game, Yasuke’s romantic interactions with Ibuki unfold during the quest titled Putting Down Roots. Here, players can witness Yasuke gifting flowers to Ibuki, leading to an option to elevate their friendship into romance. Notably, Ibuki is referred to using they/them pronouns throughout the gameplay, adding another layer of representation in the gaming narrative.
This development has divided players into two camps. One group expresses concern regarding the authenticity of a relationship between Yasuke and a non-binary individual in a historical context, while the opposing viewpoint emphasizes that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is fundamentally an RPG, and such relationships are entirely optional for players to pursue.
For those who favor a more traditional gameplay experience, romance options are disabled when playing in Canon Mode. This mode allows players to engage with historical narratives without the distraction of optional relationships, thereby providing a choice in gameplay style.
Complicating matters is the fact that characters like Yasuke and Lady Oichi are rooted in actual history. The creative liberties taken by the developers can raise eyebrows, especially when the audience perceives these choices as altering historical contexts. This situation is made more contentious by ongoing accusations among some gaming communities that creators are adopting a “woke”agenda through forced diversity.
This isn’t the first incident of contention surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The game faced backlash early in its release when players discovered the ability to destroy a shrine modeled after Japan’s Itatehyozu shrine. This act prompted widespread criticism, even reaching the offices of the Japanese Prime Minister. Although the issue was resolved in a Day One Patch, the incident left a lasting impression on the game’s reception.