Ubisoft’s latest flagship RPG, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, might be riding high on sales success, but a recent shareholder meeting put the spotlight back on the game’s most controversial elements. At the heart of the matter? An unexpected question thrown at Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, asking him point-blank if Assassin’s Creed Shadows was “woke or not woke.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Historic hit wrapped in modern debate
Released earlier this year, Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes the franchise into long-demanded territory: Feudal Japan. With dual protagonists — the stealthy ninja Naoe and the samurai Yasuke — the game dives into the chaos of late Sengoku-era Japan with impressive depth. What’s made headlines though isn’t just its nuanced combat or vibrant world-building.
Instead, it’s Yasuke, the African samurai based on a real-life historical figure, and his inclusion as a main character that’s stirred a surprising amount of online discourse. Despite the game enjoying Ubisoft’s second-best launch in franchise history (just behind Assassin’s Creed Valhalla), not everyone is on board with what they consider bold storytelling choices.
“Woke or Not Woke”: An unlikely question in a boardroom
During Ubisoft’s latest financial meeting, a self-described longtime player and recent shareholder stepped up with a pointed critique. Citing Assassin’s Creed Shadows for supposedly embracing a “leftist political agenda,” the investor questioned the inclusion of an African samurai — despite his well-documented historical existence — and a transgender romance option, asking Guillemot if Ubisoft would “backtrack.”
“Is the game woke or not woke?” they asked, an eyebrow-raising interjection in a room usually reserved for discussions on revenue forecasts and market trends.
Yves Guillemot responds
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot didn’t flinch. He confidently defended the company’s creative decisions, emphasising that the goal was not to make a political statement, but rather to “showcase characters with heroic journeys.” He reiterated that Yasuke was a real person, a historical figure whose unique story fit perfectly into the narrative ambitions of Shadows.
“We wanted to showcase characters with heroic journeys. Everybody wants to play a hero’s journey. You shift your circumstances, and you become something more, and it’s a very powerful expectation from games.
“This is an actual character. This is someone who really existed. And showcasing that character has been extremely successful. And that is why we decided to tell that story. We wanted to tell a different story.” Guillemot said, essentially shutting down accusations that the game was simply ticking boxes for modern social values.
Ubisoft steady despite controversies
This outburst isn’t isolated. Ubisoft has been fending off broader controversies lately. Just this month, the publisher drew criticism after tweaking its End User License Agreement (EULA) to include clauses that would require players to destroy or delete owned games once servers go offline, a change many saw as a swipe at the Stop Killing Games movement.
In that broader context, the Shadows controversy feels like one ripple in a much larger, stormy sea of consumer frustration over digital rights, representation, and the future of gaming narratives.
The road ahead: Claws of Awaji DLC on the horizon
Despite drama in the boardroom and on social media, Ubisoft isn’t slowing down. Development continues on upcoming content for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. A new DLC expansion titled Claws of Awaji is already confirmed to be in the pipeline. While there’s no official release date just yet, early rumors suggest the DLC will launch between September and October 2025.
Claws of Awaji is expected to deepen the game’s narrative and introduce a fresh playable area, along with new enemies and abilities for Yasuke and Naoe. With the main game already drawing players into a richly realized and culturally layered Japan, the DLC has the potential to further solidify Shadows as one of the most interesting entries in the Assassin’s Creed lineage.
Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows a “woke” game? Depends who you ask. But as Ubisoft continues to expand its vision and dive into complex, diverse personalities through its storytelling, it’s clear that they’re not shying away from challenging norms or igniting conversations, even in shareholder meetings.
And honestly? That might be the most Assassin’s Creed thing they’ve done in years.