Professor Stands Up Against Intimidating Assassin's Creed Players with Compassionate Response
In the wild world of video games, Sachi Schmidt-Hori, a professor of Japanese literature and culture at Dartmouth College, found herself in the crosshairs of online trolls after consulting on the latest installment of Ubisoft's popular Assassin's Creed franchise. Rather than hide, the none-too-shy Schmidt-Hori decided to confront the hate head-on, championing kindness over vitriol.
It was the promo for Assassin's Creed Shadows that ignited the fury, launching back in May 2024. Set in 16th century Japan, the team brought to life two characters that roiled the gaming community: Naoe, a female assassin, and Yasuke, a Black African samurai. As gamers cried foul over "wokeness run amok," Schmidt-Hori became the recipient of their ire.
The vitriol took the form of online harassment, profanity-laced attacks, bogus reviews, and even attacks against her husband. Critics glommed onto her academic research into gender and sexuality, characterized as fuel for their fire. So much for historical accuracy, some argued, confusing her role as a consultant researching historical customs and reviewing scripts, not character creation.
"I became the face of this backlash," she admitted. "People wanted to look for who to yell at, and I was kind of there."
Refusing to back down or hide, Schmidt-Hori took a page from the book of civil rights leader John Lewis and his battle cry of "causing 'good trouble.'" Swimming against the tide, she didn't shy away from engaging with her tormentors.
Emails bearing the weight of hate filled her inbox, and rather than ignore them, she took the time to respond, asking why her harasser was angry and inviting them to speak face-to-face via Zoom. One such encounter even led to an apology.
"I shouldn't have made this person a target for no reason whatsoever," one man confessed. "I feel somehow that you are part of my family, and I regret it. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart."
Schmidt-Hori's approach stands in stark contrast to that of most targets of online hate, who typically retreat to protect themselves. In a world where algorithms amplify aggression, creating a "perfect storm" for toxicity, Schmidt-Hori's proactive engagement helped cool the storm.
As critics ramp up their rants around diversity efforts in the gaming industry, Schmidt-Hori's story serves as a testament to the importance of accurate cultural representation and the need for more proactive engagement to combat the ills of online harassment.
- In the Assassin's Creed Shadows promo, Schmidt-Hori, a culture and literature professor, faced online harassment after consulting on the game's 16th century Japan setting, with characters like a female assassin and a Black African samurai.
- The hate took various forms, including online attacks, bogus reviews, and even targeting her husband, but Schmidt-Hori chose not to hide or back down.
- With a strategy akin to civil rights leader John Lewis, Schmidt-Hori countered the hate by engaging with her tormentors, responding to their emails, and inviting them to face-to-face discussions.
- Despite initial anger, some of her harassers later apologized, acknowledging their mistakes and expressing feelings of kinship towards Schmidt-Hori.
- In a world where algorithms fuel online aggression, Schmidt-Hori's proactive engagement served as a calming influence, challenging the cycle of toxicity in the gaming community.
- Schmidt-Hori's story highlights the value of accurate cultural representation and the need for proactive engagement to combat online harassment in the gaming industry and beyond.
- As diversity efforts in entertainment continue to be debated, Schmidt-Hori's approach stands as a beacon for personal growth, social media conduct, and the importance of education-and-self-development books in navigating today's challenging cultural landscape.
