Ubisoft CEO Grilled: Is Assassin's Creed Shadows "Too Woke"? One Shareholder Seems to Think So (and It's a Bit of a Mess)
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
A Ubisoft shareholder used a financial meeting to grill CEO Yves Guillemot about whether *Assassin's Creed Shadows* is "woke," leading to a rather awkward exchange. Seems like some folks are more concerned about 'agendas' than actually enjoying the game.
Right, so things got a bit spicy at a recent Ubisoft shareholder meeting, and not in a 'we just announced a surprise hit' kind of way. Apparently, someone decided the best use of their shareholder time was to ask CEO Yves Guillemot whether *Assassin's Creed Shadows* is, and I quote, "woke or not woke." Bloody hell, where do you even begin with that? (Credit: Game Rant for initially covering this).
Now, *Assassin's Creed Shadows*, for those just tuning in, is set in feudal Japan and features dual protagonists: Naoe, a ninja, and Yasuke, a real-life African samurai. Yasuke's inclusion has stirred up some… chatter. And by chatter, I mean the usual suspects complaining about historical accuracy and whatnot. It seems this particular shareholder took issue with Yasuke being a main character, and the possibility of a romance with a transgender character (which, fair dinkum, hasn't even been confirmed).
The shareholder, describing themselves as a long-time player but recent investor (talk about having a vested interest!), apparently accused the game of pushing a "leftist political agenda" and contributing to Ubisoft's "deteriorated reputation." Ouch. Guillemot, bless his corporate heart, responded that the game aims to "showcase characters with heroic journeys" and that Yasuke was, you know, a real person. Can't argue with that, can you? (Well, apparently you *can*).
It's a bit rich, isn't it? This whole 'woke' debate gets dragged into everything these days. I reckon this shareholder was less concerned about actual game design and more about… well, let's just say their concerns probably weren't about maximizing shareholder value. Ubisoft says *Assassin's Creed Shadows* is doing alright sales-wise, second only to *Valhalla*, so maybe the 'deteriorated reputation' is just one person's very loud opinion.
Ubisoft's been having a bit of a rough patch lately, haven't they? From changing their EULA to… well, let's not rehash it all. This little shareholder grilling is just another log on the fire. Speaking of fire, the game is already slated to get DLC called "Claws of Awaji" sometime between September and October 2025 (allegedly), so they're not exactly abandoning ship. New areas, enemies, abilities for Yasuke and Naoe, the whole shebang. Sounds promising, even if it *is* "woke."
Honestly, I find it fascinating that something like character choice can generate so much… passion. I’m more interested in the actual gameplay, the story, and whether I can finally perfect my stealth takedowns. But hey, each to their own, right? Just maybe leave the political grandstanding out of the shareholder meetings, eh?
Tags: Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisoft, Shareholder Meeting, Woke, Gaming News
Original article: Game Rant