Assassin's Creed Shadows - Who Are Naoe and Yasuke?

Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes place in 16th century Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama era. Players will play as two distinct characters, a Japanese shinobi, Naoe, and – in a series first – a real-life historical samurai, Yasuke.

Game Director Charles Benoit and Associate Narrative Director Brooke Davies dive deep into who these characters are, how they differ from a gameplay and narrative perspective, and why they were the perfect fit for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you will live the intertwined stories of Naoe, an adept shinobi Assassin from Iga Province, and Yasuke, the powerful African samurai of historical legend. Against the backdrop of the turbulent late Sengoku period, this remarkable duo will discover their common destiny as they usher in a new era for Japan.

From chaos to purpose, from darkness to light. A new Creed rises over Japan.

[BitmapAxis]

Why can’t I play Japanese man in a game that happens in Japan?

[ryanbaker]

Yasuke was a real person, he did exist, he was of African descent and he was put into the service of Oda Nobunaga. This is fact, and is not disputed.

What is disputed are all the revisionist stories of Yasuke as a great warrior, as having been awarded Samurai status, and earning respect of the Japanese people and other Damiyo that he encountered in the service of the Oda... this is not fact

[n.a.]

He wasn't a samurai, he was a "家臣団" (かしんだん: kashindan), servants of samurai or shogun. He became one among the many servants of Nobunaga, kept due to him being "exotic", nothing more.
Edit: typos, English is not my first language

[yjiokhi]

"We cannot combine a samurai and a shinobi." Sucker Punch did. They put a samurai and shinoni into one character so well that it is one of Playstation's best exclusives

[BilalMirza]

I won't pay for a ubisoft game after they stole my crew game. I might pirate it if it is a fun game. Probably will perform better too.

[bugaj]

Ubisoft needs to get comfortable with not getting my money.

[Lancersilva]

“You can’t have be a shinobi and a samurai”
Hatori Hanzo: *AHEM*

[Capsicum]

Wait... I thought Yasuke was only a retainer, not a samurai.

[sassycaterpillar]

The last samurai, starring Michael B Jordan

[bobthestinky]

I love how Ubisoft are saying they can't mix a shinobi and a samurai into one character because it wouldn't be accurate when we all know it's because Ghost of Tsushima did it first and far better than Ubisoft ever could.

[MikeLitirous]

Ubisoft sure knows how to make a great Assassins Creed game….trailer!

[Wordsofindifference]

I love the idea of Yasuke. If you like the Tom Cruise last samurai movie and Blackthorne in Shogun but dislike Yasuke, you are a racist. :)

[inkkid]

I like people think its just yusake in the game like bro you play as a Japanese person too. Who's an actually assassin. Something most of us wanted back.

[a.i.privilege]

The sooner Ubisoft goes broke the better.

[HoV]

It's been a while since I played an AC game. Are they no longer having original characters as leads anymore? I dropped out of the AC franchise a while back after Syndicate. So I'm mainly getting this because we've beek asking so long for one set in Japan and we're finally getting one.

[The_RedVIII]

Is this really how you pronounce Yasuke's name? Isn't it more like "Yas-Kay", just like Sasuke is "Sas-Kay"?

[jasonthewatchmansson]

The story of the samurai is a story about black men and masculinized women.

[DaRougaroux]

This cultural appropriation at its most sinister while being dressed up to be inclusive and at the same time, insulting an entire country.

[satotot]

As for Yasuke position... to put it plainly, I think he's more like a clown.
That's why I feel uncomfortable when people call me a samurai.

[BitmapAxis]

I’ll tell you who they are - impostors!