Ubisoft's Japan research trips for Assassin's Creed Shadows amid cultural scrutiny

22. März 2026

Following cultural backlash over Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisoft detailed its extensive pre-production research, including expert-guided trips to Japan, to ensure historical credibility in the feudal Japan setting.

Amid ongoing discussions about cultural representation in Assassin's Creed Shadows—which faced significant backlash in Japan in 2025 over preview footage depicting damage to sacred sites, leading to petitions, political criticism, and game edits—Ubisoft has highlighted its preparation efforts. The developer conducted guided trips to Japan with expert historians to immerse the team and gather authentic details for the game's world. A Ubisoft representative emphasized: 'We're making video games, but for Assassin's Creed we try to be credible.' This research underscores the studio's intent for accuracy in the franchise, even as it navigates entertainment and sensitivity concerns.

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• https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ubisoft-took-trips-to-japan-with-expert-guides-for-assassins-creed-shadows-and-spent-a-lot-of-time-researching-on-top-of-that-were-making-video-games-but-for-assassins-creed-we-try-to-be-credible
• https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ubisoft-took-trips-to-japan-with-expert-guides-for-assassins-creed-shadows-and-spent-a-lot-of-time-researching-on-top-of-that-were-making-video-games-but-for-assassins-creed-we-try-to-be-credible/Description: Ubisoft has revealed that it did extensive research for the development of Assassin's Creed Shadows and even took guided trips around Japan for inspiration.