There, I said it. Can everybody shut up now?
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is finally out, and the glowing reviews prove that the game isn’t as bad as many people claimed it would be. We loved it so much that we gave it a 10/10—not that everyone’s happy about that. Boo hoo, I guess.
Now that the game has officially launched, the incessant online noise about Assassin’s Creed Shadows should stop, right? At least, that’s what I think.
At this point, there are only two outcomes: actual gamers are too busy playing, while online trolls who pretend to love video games are busy harassing others on social media. The latter can be ignored; it’s the first group that actually matters.
The Real Players
Gamers who have been patiently waiting for Assassin’s Creed Shadows have already built their own soundproof sanctuaries to enjoy the game in peace. They’re avoiding social media—not just to dodge spoilers but also to escape that one annoying guy who still can’t get over the fact that someone gave Dragon Age: The Veilguard a 9.
By now, real players have probably logged 10 or more hours and formed their own opinions about the game’s pacing. And since they’ve actually played it, their thoughts carry weight. But we likely won’t hear from them for another two or three days.
Reviewers are a different story since they received copies in advance, but what really matters is the majority of the Assassin’s Creed fandom—those who just want to enjoy and discuss the game, and not complain about a fictional game showing historical inaccuracies.
The Worst People
The worst people you know will never shut up about Assassin’s Creed Shadows, despite having no intention of playing it. I have no idea how these people have the energy to crawl out of their mom’s basement every morning just to harass others online, but here we are.
The silver lining? Nobody cares about them anymore. The right people—the ones actually playing the game—will ignore the constant engagement farming and rage-baiting. Meanwhile, the worst ones will be stuck arguing in some comment section, yelling into the void. Not that it matters. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is already Steam’s #1 Best-Selling Game this week, and about 26,000 players are playing it on Steam.
What’s Next?
Online grifters and bad actors have been profiting off the rage surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows for months. That’s why Ubisoft is stepping in and cracking down on harassment campaigns with its newly assembled legal team.
With Shadows now out, the bad-faith complaints—whether about Yasuke “not being a real samurai” or the supposed lack of a Japanese protagonist (we have Naoe, by the way)—will eventually lose steam. These people will soon find another game to target. Fortunately, it’s getting easier to distinguish those who actually play video games from those who just love stirring controversy.
At least now the noise will die down, and everyone can finally shut up and move on.