Assassin's Creed Shadows Gets Censored in Japan

Assassin's Creed Shadows (AC Shadows) faces content alterations for its Japanese release, receiving a CERO Z rating. This necessitates changes to align with Japan's stricter video game content guidelines.

CERO Z Rating and Content Changes:

Ubisoft Japan announced that the Japanese version will omit dismemberment and decapitation, modifying depictions of wounds and severed body parts. Audio modifications are also planned, though specifics remain undisclosed. The international versions (North America/Europe) will offer players the option to toggle these violent depictions.

The CERO Z rating restricts sales to individuals 18 and older. CERO's rating system considers factors such as violence, sexual content, antisocial behavior, and language. Games failing to meet CERO's standards are unrated and cannot be sold in Japan. This isn't unprecedented for the Assassin's Creed franchise; many titles, including Valhalla and Origins, have received CERO Z ratings.

The stringent approach to gore and dismemberment has resulted in previous cancellations of Japanese releases. The Callisto Protocol (2022) and the Dead Space Remake (2023) were both withdrawn due to perceived unacceptable alterations required by CERO.

Yasuke's Description Altered:

Further changes involve Yasuke's description. Steam and PlayStation store listings in Japanese have replaced "samurai" (侍) with "騎当千" (Ikki tousen), meaning "a warrior who can face a thousand enemies." This follows criticism in 2024 regarding the use of "black samurai," a historically contentious term. Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, previously stated the company's focus is on entertainment, not promoting specific agendas, highlighting the use of historical figures in previous Assassin's Creed games.

AC Shadows launches March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.