Summary
TheAssassin’s Creedfranchise is currently in an interesting state. Though they all received universal critical praise,Assassin’s Creed Origins,Odyssey, andValhallawere a tad divisive, at least among fans, with many long-timeACfans preferring the smaller-scale action/adventures of old. Ubisoft seemingly took this criticism on board, deliveringAssassin’s Creed Miragetowards the end of last year, a title specifically designed to appeal to fans of the original formula. Now, the future ofAssassin’s Creedis looking bright, but a tad uncertain.
Ubisoft currently has at least fourAssassin’s Creedprojects in the works, ranging from a mobile title to a fully-fledged RPG to an online live-service platform. There’s about to be a whole lot moreAssassin’s Creed, and while that’s sure to keep fans busy, it’s also going to run the risk of oversaturating the franchise yet again. It’s more important than ever for eachAssassin’s Creedentry to stand out, and the upcomingAssassin’s Creed Redmight be onto something if the rumors surrounding its tradition-breaking protagonist are true.
Assassin’s Creed Red Might Have a Historical Protagonist
Back in November 2023, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson wrote an article that claimed that one ofAssassin’s Creed Red’s protagonistswould be based on the African samurai Yasuke, a real-life historical figure with a bit of a mystery surrounding his life. This report came just months after Insider Gaming claimed thatAssassin’s Creed Redwould feature two protagonists, one Shinobi and one Samurai, with the former being a female protagonist and the latter being a male. At the end of its report, Insider Gaming made it clear that it’s unsure if Ubisoft will call its protagonist Yasuke, or just simply use the real-world figure as inspiration for its own fictionalized version of the character.
A Brief History of the Real-World Yasuke
As a historical figure, Yasuke’s life is shrouded in mystery and an unfortunately non-surprising amount of casual racism. According to various personal accounts, letters, and journal entries dated around the same time,Yasuke was an African-born man who first entered Japan in the year 1579, working in the service of an Italian missionary named Alessandro Valignano. It’s unclear whether Yasuke was Valignano’s slave at the time, but he accompanied the Italian on most of his travels throughout Japan.
In 1581, Yasuke accompanied Valignano toJapan’s capital, Kyoto, where he met the daimyo Oda Nobunaga. According to historical accounts, upon meeting the man, Nobunaga didn’t believe that his skin was actually black and allegedly forced him to strip and wash himself, believing it to be ink. Upon learning that his skin was indeed black, Nobunaga apparently convinced Valignano to let him take the man into his service, where he was given the name Yasuke.
For the next year, Yasuke worked as Nobunaga’s page, receiving a consistent wage and accompanying the daimyo across Japan. In 1582, Nobunaga was attacked by his fellow lord Akechi Mitsuhide, and proceeded to commit suicide in the ensuing conflict. Records of the time claim that Yasuke fought in this battle, but surrendered to Akechi’s forces. While one document claims that Yasuke survived the aftermath of the battle, there are no historical records of the man following 1582.
How Yasuke Could Be Breaking an Assassin’s Creed Tradition
In everyAssassin’s Creedgame so far, the player takes control of a completely fictional character. Though the setting is based in history, some crossover with major historical events often happen, and the player-character always meets a slew of real-life historical figures along their journey, all ofAssassin’s Creed’s main playable protagonists are original. At most, a character will be slightly inspired by a real-world historical figure, though that’s usually on a minor level. If the rumors are true, thenAssassin’s Creed Redcould be breaking that tradition, and potentially paving the way for more historical protagonists in the future.
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as a cunning young street thief seeking answers in this majestic Middle Eastern open world. Experience the home of the original Assassins in this exciting new narrative-driven, open world adventure. 15 years since the first Assassin’s Creed redefined adventure, experience the franchises' trademark parkour and stealth like never before - in Assasin’s Creed Mirage. In this smaller scale, back to basics Assassin’s caper, you play Basim, a young street thief seeking answers. Roam the richly-detailed, reactive and vibrant streets of 9th century Baghdad, uncovering the mysteries of the past as you fight to secure your future. Stalk the shadows. Become the ultimate assassin.
