Ubisoft has reportedly scrapped plans for a new Assassin’s Creed game set in the Reconstruction era after backlash surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows and its black samurai protagonist, Yasuke.
According to Game File, the canceled title was set in post–Civil War America and would have followed a black protagonist who escaped slavery in the South before joining the Assassin Brotherhood. The story would have seen players return to the South to confront injustice and face the rise of the Ku Klux Klan.
Three sources told Game File that development was halted last July after management in Paris decided to pull the plug. Internally, some staff viewed the move as Ubisoft backing down from controversy after Shadows drew criticism from players who questioned Yasuke’s historical authenticity.
Another major factor was reportedly the political climate in the United States. One developer summed it up bluntly: the game was “too political in a country too unstable.”
Developers close to the project said they were enthusiastic about the project and were disappointed by the decision, claiming the reasons to pull the plug were unusual.
This wouldn’t have been the first game to have players face off against Klan members either, as the group was featured in major hits, including Red Dead Redemption 2 and Mafia 3.
It’s unclear if Ubisoft plans to revisit the project in the future, but for now, the Reconstruction-era Assassin’s Creed has been shelved amid growing caution toward politically charged themes.
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