Despite the bad buzz that is sowing instability in the feudal Japan of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft’s next title is already a hit before its release on November 15.
In any case, this is what Tom Henderson, the well-known insider with regard to Ubisoft productions, reported. According to him, pre-orders for Assassin’s Creed Shadows got off to a flying start following the release of its first cinematic trailer last week.
Already a hit despite the bad buzz for Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
When Assassin’s Creed Shadows, then known by the code name Red, promised us in 2022 the first game of the license taking place in feudal Japan, it aroused the curiosity of fans. Since its formalization on May 15, however, things have taken a different turn. Like Star Wars Outlaws, it disappointed players, particularly with regard to the price of its different editions and the need for a permanent Internet connection.
Even if Ubisoft has partly responded to criticism on this last point, another element caused a real outcry, particularly among fans of Japanese history. The trailer has in fact confirmed that we will have two playable characters. On the one hand Naoe, fictional daughter of the legendary shinobi Fujibayashi Nagato. On the other hand, Yasuke, a man of African origin who really existed, but who would never have been a samurai. However, this is the role that he will play in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, to the indignation of the Japanese among others. Despite these two heated controversies, the title already in pre-orders would be a hit, according to Tom Henderson. “ No one in the connivance is disappointed by these “, he said in any case.
A game that convinces despite its flaws?
While the very good Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown had recorded disappointing figures in this area, this would apparently not be the case within Ubisoft regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Beyond the controversies, fans of the franchise eager to discover this vision of feudal Japan therefore seem to have responded. The duality of the characters, one focused on the stealth specific to shinobi, and the other focused on frontal combat, could have worked in its favor.
In addition to this, Ubisoft tells us that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will offer a changing universe over the four seasons. Depending on climate change, an open world as large as Origins will appear in a new light, with radically different gameplay possibilities. We should also see this part of the title coming on November 15 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series in more detail as part of the Ubisoft Forward scheduled for June 9. Will this demonstration further increase the number of pre-orders while reviving controversies? The future will tell.