Ubisoft loses Assassin’s Creed franchise manager Coté

Ubisoft has recently announced the formation of Vantage Studios, a Tencent-backed subsidiary that will manage some of the company’s top franchises, including Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. Alongside several of the company’s development studios, some top personnel associated with the various IPs was supposed to make the transition into the new company — but an important team leader has chosen to instead depart Ubisoft entirely: According to IGN, which obtained an email Vantage Studios’ leadership sent to staff, former Assassin’s Creed boss Marc-Alexis Coté won’t take the franchise’s helm in the new era.

Coté was apparently offered a leading position inside Vantage Studios, but refused to take the offer, which Vantage Co-CEO Christoph Derennes called “disappointing” in the memo.

In a statement from Ubisoft on the topic, the company thanked Coté for his contributions to its works over the course of his long career and expressed sadness over his departure.

Coté had been part of the company for 20 years, joining as a programmer and eventually being promoted to positions such as lead level designer, creative director, and senior producer for the Assassin’s Creed series. He took strategic leadership over the IP in 2022, laying out a plan for the franchise’s future — his influence, therefore, will likely still be tangible for a couple of years.

Last week, it was reported that Ubisoft cancelled an Assassin’s Creed game set after the U.S. Civil War in 2024. Yesterday, a release date for the rumored Switch 2 port of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been leaked.

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