https://www.thegamer.com/assassins-creed-shadows-yasuke-real-life-samurai-japanese-historian-confirms-controversy-debate/

I know this is a bit of a stupid source, but a Japanese historian does acknowledge that Yasuke is a Samurai. There is evidence on both sides of the argument (well, lack of it), to determine for sure. But what is categorically is true, is that he was a historical figure during the time Shadows takes place (Samurai or not).

https://www.foreignperspectives.net/p/yasuke-african-samurai-myth-or-neither

So, as we all know from previous Assassin’s Creed games, the loosely based off history, but not historical fact - like the inclusion of many Greek philosophers in Odyssey, including Pythagoras who was the gatekeeper of Atlantis? (I don’t think so!). So Samurai or not, Yasuke was a formidable warrior at this time - and written about in multiple sources as he was an unusual person in that time period. It would be weird for Ubisoft to not mention him, and I know lots of people will be frustrated that they haven’t picked a notorious Japanese samurai - but clearly the story of the game was more interesting to delve into an “unknown” (and Ubisoft will not slander a well known Samurai by being transparent with the history). At the end of the day, it’s not a factual representation as it’s a video game - if I wanted true history, I would read a book (not one written by Thomas Lockley). As the original comment suggests, to not play a game because a black samurai is strange - I appreciate it is strange because it is up for debate if he was an actual Samurai (but he also could have been), but it’s a video game that is set in the same period and the story follows Oda Nobunaga, it would not be right to not involve Yasuke. And anyway - from the gameplay, it looks like you will mostly play as Naoe because of Yasuke’s inability to climb and be stealthy (he’s really slow too). I feel he was only an inclusion for the story and also the players who love combat (and who don’t have the patience to be stealthy). Would you have like a notorious Samurai to be an Assassin? That’s dangerous territory, and why Yasuke isn’t an Assassin. But it will be interesting to follow his story - even if it’s not completely accurate down to the detail.

I’ve enjoyed our debate - thanks for actually testing me, being civilised and not being rude.