Ubisoft apologizes for using a real-life reenactment group's flag in Assassin's Creed Shadows concept art without permission

GamesActionAssassin’s Creed ShadowsUbisoft apologizes for using a real-life reenactment group’s flag in Assassin’s Creed Shadows concept art without permissionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Image for Ubisoft apologizes for using a real-life reenactment group�s flag in Assassin�s Creed Shadows concept art without permission

Ubisofthas apologized for using the flag of a real-life Japanese reenactment group in concept art forAssassin’s Creed Shadows, and says the images in question will no longer be used—although it will still appear in the art book that comes with the Assassin’s Creed Shadows collector’s edition.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Assassin’s Creed Shadows concept art showing Sekigahara Teppotai flag

A closer look:

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Assassin’s Creed Shadows concept art showing Sekigahara Teppotai flag (detail)

Sekigahara Teppotai, as it turns out, is a real-life historical reenactment group, and the flag wasused without permission.

(Image credit: matchlock_kage (Twitter))

I registered as a user and contacted UBI Soft’s Japan support via inquiry form. I told them that the concept art depicts the “Sekigahara rifle corps' flag” and that if they wanted to officially use it, they should contact the representative.

They also posted aphoto of the group’s flag, taken in 2019:

(Image credit: matchlock_kage (Twitter))

I will upload some clippings from photos I took on my visit to Myoenji Temple in Kagoshima Prefecture on October 27, 2019.

And here’sone of the reenactment groupitself, originally posted in 2023. The flag is clearly visible:

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(Image credit: matchlock_kage)

Members of the Sekigahara Rifle Corps came from far away to join us in our pilgrimage to Myoenji Temple. I’m really thankful to you. I learned a lot. I look forward to the day we can perform together again.

It took some time, but on June 28 @matchlock_kage said they were told that Ubisoft waslooking into it, and was attempting to contact Sekigahara Teppotai. A week later, Ubisoft finally responded to the complaint: @matchlock_kage said Ubisoft “accepted the criticismabout the concept art and promptly deleted it from the official website,” and said the flag would not be used in the future, although “they also mentioned that data that has already been copied is difficult to delete.”

The somewhat odd phrasing is due primarily to the fact that the tweets are being Google translated from their original Japanese, which is a tricky business at best. In an English-language statement provided to PC Gamer, Ubisoft confirmed the mistake and apology.

“We have received complaints that the Sekigahara Teppotai’s flag was used without permission in two published pieces of concept art,” a Ubisoft representative said. “We had the opportunity to apologize to the group, and they accepted our apology. The art will no longer be used or distributed, except for inclusion in the art book that comes with the collector’s edition. We sincerely apologize for this matter.”

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on November 15.

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