Ubisoft has quickly responded to cultural sensitivity concerns by implementing a day-one patch for Assassin's Creed Shadows that prevents players from damaging religious objects within Japanese shrines. This update comes following discussions in Japan's parliament about the game's portrayal of cultural and religious sites.
Cultural Sensitivity Drives Rapid Update
The day-one patch for Assassin's Creed Shadows specifically makes tables and racks in temples and shrines indestructible, addressing concerns raised by Japanese politicians. While some generic objects like drums or bowls that appear throughout the game world can still be broken, the update ensures that shrine-specific furniture cannot be damaged. The tables remain dynamic objects that players can move or push, but they can no longer be destroyed during gameplay.
Full patch notes for Assassin's Creed Shadows day-one update:
- Players no longer getting stuck inside movable objects after dodging
- Fix for procedural weapons being removed incorrectly when selling items
- Adjustments to prevent players from going out of bounds
- Improved horse navigation, reducing issues with turning and blocked paths
- Lighting adjustments for cave, kofun, and architectural entrances/exits
- Fixes for cloth clipping on character outfits
- Citizens without weapons no longer bleed when attacked
- Tables and racks in temples/shrines are now indestructible
Japanese Government Involvement
The controversy reached Japan's highest political levels when Hiroyuki Kada, a member of the House of Councillors, raised concerns in parliament on March 19th. Kada expressed fears that allowing players to damage representations of real-world religious sites might encourage similar behavior in reality. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba responded by emphasizing the importance of respecting cultural and religious customs, stating that defacing a shrine is out of the question and describing it as an insult to the nation itself.
Additional Changes in the Update
Beyond protecting shrine objects, the patch includes several other notable changes. Ubisoft has implemented a feature that prevents unarmed citizens from bleeding when attacked, which reduces the potential for unintended blood spill in temples and shrines. This change appears designed to prevent players from creating and sharing disturbing imagery through the game's photo mode.
Technical Fixes and Improvements
The update also addresses several technical issues, including fixes for players getting stuck inside movable objects, improvements to horse navigation, lighting adjustments for caves and architectural entrances, and solutions for cloth clipping on character outfits. These changes aim to enhance the overall gameplay experience alongside the culturally sensitive modifications.
Game Reception Despite Controversy
Despite the controversy, Assassin's Creed Shadows has received generally positive reviews from both critics and players. The game currently holds a very positive rating on Steam, with praise for its visual design and return to stealth-focused gameplay. Critics have noted that while the game offers promising ideas and excellent visuals, it sometimes struggles with narrative momentum during its lengthy runtime.
Ubisoft's Silent Response
Interestingly, Ubisoft has not publicly announced these changes through official channels. The patch notes were provided directly to gaming publication IGN rather than being published on the game's Steam store page or through Ubisoft's standard communication channels. When contacted for comment on the reasoning behind the shrine changes, Ubisoft stated they had nothing more to share, leaving observers to speculate about the timing and motivation for the rapid implementation of these cultural sensitivity measures.