Ubisoft Apologizes for Unauthorized Use of Flag in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Ubisoft apologizes for unauthorized use of a Japanese historical re-enactment group’s flag in the concept art for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The flag in question belongs to the Sekigahara Teppo-tai, an infantryman re-enactment group who commemorate the Battle of Sekigahara on Oct. 21, 1600, a pivotal moment in Japan’s feudal history.

Two pieces of concept art for Assassin’s Creed Shadows feature the flag, and it also appears in the physical artbook included with the collector’s edition of the game. As a result, Ubisoft Japan apologizes for the unauthorized use of the flag.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft, scheduled for release in November 2024. Moreover, the game is set in 16th-century Japan towards the end of the Sengoku period and will focus on two protagonists’ perspective in the Assassin Brotherhood’s fight against the Templar Order.

X/Twitter user @matchlock_kage, who is a member from Sekigahara Teppo-tai was the first to notice and posted on the social media app about the issue and was unsure how to react.

7月3日にUBIソフト様より返信がありました
コンセプトアートについては指摘を受け入れ早急に公式ページより削除されたそうです
今後は関ケ原鉄砲隊の背旗を利用することは無いと回答をいただけました
ただ既に複製されたデータは削除が難しい事も記載されていました

— 影山＠関ケ原鉄砲隊 (@matchlock_kage) July 3, 2024

Translated post, via Twitter

I heard a little bit about it, but it seems that the Sekigahara rifle corps was used as the background for the concept art for Assassin’s Creed Shadow.
I actually took a look at it, and when I zoomed in I could definitely see the back flag that we use.
Honestly, I’m not sure how to react.

On July 3rd, we received a response from Ubisoft. They accepted the criticism about the concept art and promptly deleted it from the official website. They also said that they would not be using the Sekigahara rifle corps flag in the future. However, they also mentioned that data that has already been copied is difficult to delete.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft Quebec

Release Date TBC

Epic Games Store, mac os, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

Assassin's Creed Shadows is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft, set to release in November 2024. The game is the fourteenth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to 2023's Assassin's Creed Mirage, as well as the first title to be included in the Assassin's Creed: Infinity platform.

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