Assassin's Creed Shadows: Japan's CERO Z Rating Leads to Content Changes

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows (AC Shadows) has received a CERO Z rating in Japan, resulting in significant content alterations for the Japanese release. This rating, reserved for games suitable only for players 18 and older, necessitates the removal of dismemberment and decapitation scenes. Furthermore, depictions of wounds and severed body parts have been modified. While the Japanese audio may also include changes, specifics haven't been detailed.

The international versions (North America/Europe) will offer players the option to toggle dismemberment and decapitation on or off via the in-game settings menu.

CERO Z Rating and its Implications

The CERO Z rating reflects Japan's stringent content guidelines, focusing on sex, violence, anti-social behavior, and language/ideology. Games failing to meet these standards are unrated and cannot be sold in Japan. This isn't unprecedented for the Assassin's Creed franchise; previous titles like Valhalla and Origins also received CERO Z ratings due to their violent content. The Callisto Protocol and the Dead Space Remake are recent examples of games that didn't receive CERO ratings and thus weren't released in Japan.

Yasuke's Description Altered

The game's marketing materials have also undergone changes. On Steam and the PlayStation Store, the Japanese description of Yasuke, a key protagonist, has shifted. The term "samurai" (侍) has been replaced with "騎当千" (Ikki tousen), meaning "a warrior who can face a thousand enemies." This follows a 2024 controversy surrounding the use of "black samurai" in previous promotional materials. Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, previously stated the company's focus is on entertainment for a broad audience, and not pushing specific agendas.

Assassin's Creed Shadows launches March 20, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.