In a universe where historical figures often swap swords for shurikens, it seems that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has stirred up a bit of controversy—clearly it’s not just about stealth and history anymore. Yes, it turns out some folks are in an uproar about having multiple characters in a game. Shocking, right?
Two Protagonists? How Radical!
The associate director of Shadows, Simon Lemay-Comtois, has bravely hinted that future escapades in this sprawling series may very well feature not one, but two protagonists. It’s almost like going from single-player to a whole dinner party! This bold claim comes amidst the chaos stirred up by the game’s co-protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe. Yasuke is a Black samurai—yes, an actual dude from history—but apparently, reality is nothing more than a fragile concept for some gamers.
Woke? More Like Awoken!
After Shadows popped onto the scene, the internet collectively raised an eyebrow. Some self-proclaimed critics insisted Ubisoft had taken a deep dive into the pool of “wokeness” when they decided to feature Yasuke. It’s almost as if they forgot that he was indeed a real historical figure. It’s not like Yasuke rolled in with a “woke” sign claiming, “Hey, let’s diversify this samurai stuff.” No, he just lived it!
Defenders of the Realm
Charles Benoit, the game’s director, came to the rescue, sounding pretty enthused about players exploring Japan through Yasuke’s perspective. “You can discover Japan through the eyes of a foreigner,” he chirped. Meanwhile, some gamers prepared their pitchforks, ready for a virtual witch hunt post-launch. Fortunately, Ubisoft was ready to brace for the inevitable tidal wave of keyboard warriors.
History is a Great Teacher
Let’s not forget that dual protagonists aren’t groundbreaking; the series previously had players juggling twins Jacob and Evie Frye in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate without inciting this level of drama. But apparently, Yasuke and Naoe hit a nerve that had some gamers clutching their controllers a tad too tightly. Who knew choosing between characters could feel like picking a favorite child?
Lessons Learned: Play Nice!
In his conversation with GamesRadar, Lemay-Comtois acknowledged the delightful divisiveness of dual protagonists. “It can get weird,” he mused. It’s not just a straightforward “I prefer Yasuke over Naoe” scenario—oh, no! Some players simply refuse to engage with one character or the other, asserting their right to be picky as if choosing a meal at a fancy restaurant.
Given this amusing reality, the developers evidently understand the need for caution. “Yes, we could do more dual-protagonist games in the future—if we have a good reason to do it narratively and for the setting,” he clarified. So, for those dreaming of future character pair-ups, temper those expectations unless there’s a good plot twist lurking around the corner!
Back to the Grimy, Rooftop-Jumping Roots
Oh, and while all this character debate is happening, there’s an urgent call to action regarding everyone’s favorite parkour moves. That’s right, Lemay-Comtois wants to shove parkour back into the spotlight! Apparently, in the whirlwind of game-making, parkour became somewhat of a wallflower. “Let’s really push parkour forward,” he insisted, making it sound as if it had gone AWOL during the game’s development. Must have slipped under the radar with all that character drama, eh?
So, here’s to hoping the next Assassin’s Creed installment features all the jumping, swashbuckling fun combined with a healthy dose of two-character tension! Fingers crossed that gamers will be able to handle sharing the spotlight without it becoming a full-blown battlefield.
