Alyssa Mercante Disrespects Japanese Gamers, Forces Woke Agenda in Assassin's Creed Shadows

Imagine being Alyssa Mercante, a terrible political activist cosplaying as a journalist. So tone-deaf that she blames Japanese gamers' genuine concerns on "grifters." Desperate to blame white men. Can’t wait for her to cry over the criticism on this damage control article. #Fail #GamingDrama #WokeAgenda #JournalismFail

On July 23, in response to the ongoing backlash against a Black lead character in the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows, developer Ubisoft released a lengthy statement. The responses on X (formerly Twitter) were exactly what you’d expect: racist images, slurs, and calls for historical accuracy in a video game series that has always been steeped in science fiction.

Ubisoft knows they’re in trouble. They released a four-panel apology about their commitment to Japanese gamers, but it was more of a non-apology filled with corporate jargon. It’s a word salad that only made things worse, and now they’re facing massive backlash. This PR disaster is going to hurt them even more, and gamers are furious.

Today’s news is Ubisoft’s pathetic attempt at damage control. They posted a cringeworthy message on X, trying to address criticism from Japanese gamers. Their so-called heartfelt thanks are laughable, as they clearly have no respect for Japanese history or culture. They’ve been pushing the narrative that their game, Assassin's Creed Shadows, is historically accurate, but it’s a blatant lie.

They claimed to have put significant effort into respectful representation, yet their promotional materials and game footage are anything but. This game has sparked a massive backlash, and Ubisoft’s response is just making things worse. They’re now trying to backtrack, saying it’s all about creative liberty and historical inspiration.

Alyssa Mercante is downplaying the legitimate concerns of Japanese gamers. She claims a fledgling but ferociously loud group of gamers will tell you the Assassin’s Creed Shadows backlash is about respecting Japanese culture or refusing to accept “woke ideologies” that are being “forced into their games” by consulting groups who hold no real power. But just like in 2014, during the first full-throated iteration of GamerGate, this was never about anything other than hate.

Alyssa Mercante and Kotaku defend DEI because it makes their woke agenda work. Labeling anyone who goes against it as racist is wrong. This is a real issue with the entire country of Japan, and to label it as a right-wing grift is completely incorrect.