When it comes to gaming, franchises like Assassin’s Creed do not go on for as long as they have without some controversy. This year, all eyes are on Assassin’s Creed Shadows as the game promises to take fans to Japan at long last. But after its recent appearance at Japan Expo, well – the upcoming Ubisoft game is under fire for stealing from Roronoa Zoro.
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And yes, you did read that right. We are talking about One Piece. Assassin’s Creed Shadows attended Japan Expo this past weekend to hold an immersive experience for fans. The booth featured plenty of artifacts tied to Japan, and as for its katana collection, the blade on display looked very familiar to fans.
After all, the booth put Zoro’s Kitetsu on display, and fans were able to track the blade down on Amazon. From the sword to its stand, the Assassin’s Creed booth certainly nabbed Zoro’s sword without much effort. According to convention attendees, the booth said this sword belonged to Yasuke, a character who appears in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but that is not quite right.
Of course, this poaching problem doesn’t extend to the game itself. To date, footage of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has not featured a katana resembling Kitetsu or any other from One Piece. However, the appropriated blade has incensed some fans who believed the Ubisoft game hasn’t done due research on Japan. Recently, these netizens rallied as concept art for Assassin’s Creed Shadows was released that featured a real-world flag. The flag, which belongs to a historical re=enactment group in Japan, was put into the game without permission. Now, the group Sekigahara Teppo-tai is asking for its flag to be scrubbed from Assassin’s Creed Shadows, so this IRL blunder with Zoro is only adding fuel to the fire.
Currently, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is slated for a November 2024 launch. If you are curious about the game, it will be set at the end of the Sengoku period in Japan. Players will follow two leads, Naoe and Yasuke, as they navigated 16th-century Japan and push back against the Templar Order’s push into their world.
Do you plan on checking out Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
