IGN has confirmed that Ubisoft has quietly prepared a day-one patch for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which includes significant changes, particularly to temples and shrines. Ubisoft provided IGN with the patch notes, which were not part of any public announcement.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Day-One Patch Notes:
This update introduces various improvements and fixes, including:
- Players no longer getting stuck inside movable objects after dodging forward and interacting with them in kofuns.
- Fix for procedural weapons being removed incorrectly when selling items.
- Adjustments to prevent players from going out of bounds when proning against objects.
- Improved horse navigation, reducing issues with turning and blocked paths.
- Lighting adjustments for cave, kofun, and architectural entrances/exits.
- Fixes for cloth clipping on Yasuke’s outfits (while riding) and Naoe’s outfits (while crouching).
- Citizens without weapons no longer bleed when attacked, reducing unintended blood spill in temples/shrines.
- Tables and racks in temples/shrines are now indestructible. (Some objects like drums or bowls can still be broken as they are generic ones present everywhere in the world. Tables are still dynamic objects, so players can still move/push them).
The key change is to tables and racks in temples and shrines, now made indestructible in the Feudal Japan-set game. Ubisoft confirmed to IGN that the day-one patch is for all players, not just those in Japan, though the change to indestructible objects seems to address recent controversies in the country.
On March 19, during an official government conference, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba responded to a question about Assassin’s Creed Shadows posed by Hiroyuki Kada, a member of Japan's House of Councillors who is campaigning for re-election this summer. Kada expressed concerns that allowing players to attack and destroy real-world locations in the game could encourage similar behavior in reality, noting that shrine officials and local residents share these worries. He emphasized the need to respect freedom of expression while avoiding actions that demean local cultures.Prime Minister Ishiba stated the need for legal discussions with several ministries, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He strongly condemned the defacement of shrines, likening it to an insult to the nation itself, and underscored the importance of respecting the culture and religion of a country.
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The shrine in question, Itatehyozu Shrine in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, falls within Kada’s constituency. Kada confirmed that Ubisoft did not seek permission to depict and name the shrine in the game. While Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Masaki Ogushi mentioned that government agencies would collaborate if the shrine sought consultation, Ubisoft's use of the shrine in a work of artistic expression likely falls within legal bounds under Japan's Constitution.
The responses from the ministers were vague and seem unlikely to lead to specific actions, especially since Ubisoft has proactively addressed these concerns with the day-one patch. The patch is not yet live in-game, according to IGN's tests.
Despite the controversy in Japan, there is significant global pressure on Assassin's Creed Shadows to succeed for Ubisoft, following delays and the sales disappointment of last year’s Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced several high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows.
IGN's review of Assassin’s Creed Shadows awarded it an 8/10, praising it for refining its open-world systems and creating one of the best versions of the series to date.
