They knew that everyone wanted AC Japan since the 1st game came out and purposely avoided it because it was "too easy and obvious" and kept it locked away as a "break glass in case of emergency" situation. That was until Ghost of Tsushima came out and took that away from them, so now they're fucked. Any samurai japan game will be compared to Ghost of Tsushima, which was a better game than Ubisoft will make.The funny bit is that there were actual fights that included Ronin, Conquistadors and Aztecs in that era, because the 1600s were freaking wild in the Pacific. But that's beyond Ubisoft's ability to think. Part of me is still deeply confused how they turned the "Magical Negro" trope into the only way they can get stories approved. But Ubisoft also should have had an AC game in Japan by 2012, but, it's Ubisoft, who's leadership are catastrophically dumb.
It should probably be actually pointed out that the shoving a nobody, random mercenary that moved along the Indian & Pacific coasts lines into a, technically, historical Japanese setting game is very racist. In the actual context for what that word used to mean.
This game is being made by Ubisoft Quebec, the tards that made Syndicate and Odyssey, so the gameplay is 100% going to be shit with shit writing. Any criticism is going to be handwaved away with "evil racists upset about negro samurai!".