Assassin’s Creed Shadows is knocking at the door. This upcoming action RPG title is going to be released on November 15, 2024. This game is going to be the fourteenth major installment of the long-hailed franchise.
There were high hopes that the game would have a blast at the recently concluded Japan Expo, which was held in Paris from July 11 to 14. However, the game was an absolute flop at the event.
Scarce Traffic at the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Booth at the Japan Expo 2024
At the recently held Japan Expo, there were a few people who were seen at the Assassin’s Creed Shadows booth. This was a huge disappointment for Ubisoft, as this event was thought to be one of the most viable marketing points for the game.
他は激混みなのに、アサシンクリードシャドウのブースはご覧の通り。椅子は休憩スポットに。フランス人も怒ってるんだろうか。#JapanExpo2024 #AssassinsCreedShadows pic.twitter.com/R6wGu60b6f
— RC 166 (@rc_166) July 12, 2024
All the other booths were crowded; just this booth was almost vacant. The seats in this booth were even used as resting spots.
From former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern, aka Grumzz, we have also got some real ground reports of that event from Paris.
Just got a report from someone at Japan Expo.@Ubisoft staff are asking that anyone using the seats at the Assassins Creed: Shadows booth to turn around to face their screen.
People were using them as benches to watch the much more popular Nintendo booth across the way.
Nobody… pic.twitter.com/OF1S1DIfsM
— Grummz (@Grummz) July 14, 2024
He has stated that Ubisoft officials asked the people who were sitting at the Shadows booth to look at their screens, as most of them were sitting there to get a better view of the much more popular Nintendo booth, which was across the way.
Fans became more frustrated as the company showed the same video they already posted to YouTube despite claiming that it was “exclusive gameplay.”
Another shot of the Assassin's Creed Shadows booth.
They are showing "exclusive gameplay" but it's the same video they already posted to YouTube.
If you stay till the very end, Ubisoft gives you a bag of goodies. pic.twitter.com/six6PRamWu
— Grummz (@Grummz) July 14, 2024
No wonder fans were more keen on the Nintendo booth. To do some damage control, Ubisoft even offered bags of goodies to the visitors if they stayed till the very end.
What Was the Reason for This Disappointing Reception?
As a strategy for promoting the game at the Japan Expo, the official Assassin’s Creed France account assured that the booth at the expo would give its visitors an immersive experience. That’s why the company decorated the booth with a number of Japanese cultural items to promote the game, as it was based on the feudal period of Japan.
Katana et masque de Yasuke (par @PureArtsLimited ❤️) ou encore artworks du jeu, notre stand Ubisoft à la @japanexpo vous propose une expérience… immersive 👀🔴
On vous immerge avec nous dans l'esprit du jeu jusqu'au dimanche 14 juillet ! 🥷 pic.twitter.com/tzkE2BnkO6
— Assassin's Creed FR (@AssassinsFR) July 11, 2024
However, it didn’t take long for the fans to realize that one of the items among those decorations was actually a replica of a katana from one of the most popular animes in the world, One Piece.
According to the staff of the booth, the weapon displayed there belongs to Yasuke, one of the playable protagonists of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
But this weapon originally was the Kitetsu Blade, which is wielded by fan-favorite One Piece character Roronoa Zoro. Now, some fans have put the whole blame on Ubisoft for incorrectly representing Japanese culture.
On the other hand, some have accepted this as a genuine mistake. However, there has been no response from Ubisoft regarding this incident as of now.
What’s your opinion on this huge blunder by Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Let us know your opinion in the comment box.
