New Ubisoft Lawsuit Could Impact Assassin’s Creed’s Future

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Assassin’s Creed is a hugely popular video game series, with more than a dozen main games released since its start in 2007. Even though recent games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows have done well, the series is still facing some of the same difficulties as the rest of the gaming world.

Ubisoft is undergoing a significant overhaul, reorganizing its teams and priorities. This includes shutting down some studios and personnel changes, with several key people leaving prominent game franchises. At least one departing employee is suing the company.

Why a Former Assassin’s Creed Lead Is Suing Ubisoft

Marc-Alexis Côté, a longtime lead on the Assassin’s Creed games, is suing Ubisoft shortly after leaving the company he worked for two decades. He claims Ubisoft subtly forced him out by reducing his role, especially as the latest game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, faced challenges and reportedly had poor sales in a competitive market. His lawsuit emphasizes how quickly his position changed amidst significant shifts within the company.

Jonathan Côté is suing Ubisoft for nearly $1 million, claiming he was unfairly removed as the lead on the Assassin’s Creed project. He alleges that family members of Ubisoft’s CEO, Yves Guillemot, took over at a new studio, Vantage Studios, and effectively replaced him. While Ubisoft offered him a different role, Côté chose to leave and request his severance. Shortly after, Ubisoft announced his departure, stating his creative vision for the game series didn’t match their plans, which led to the lawsuit.

Ubisoft’s Legal Battle Is Just Part Of Changes Happening At The Company

The disagreement appears to be linked to recent shifts in Ubisoft’s leadership and its plans for the future. The lawsuit filed by Côté claims he was demoted partly because Ubisoft decided to make all future Assassin’s Creed games in France, near its main offices – previously, all games in the series were developed in Montreal. This change aligns with Ubisoft’s recent efforts to reorganize, which involves simplifying teams and combining departments, leading to some studios closing and several unannounced games being cancelled.

Ubisoft is shifting more control of the Assassin’s Creed franchise to its central business team, moving away from the previous model where developers at Ubisoft Montreal led individual projects and the overall direction of the series. This change comes alongside other leadership shifts, including the creative director of The Division 3 moving to Battlefield Studios, which has created uncertainty around that game’s future. These changes have negatively impacted Ubisoft’s stock price, though they’ve also prompted the company to clarify its current development priorities. The ongoing lawsuit will likely continue to draw negative attention to Ubisoft, particularly if the plaintiff, Côté, is successful in his case.

What Does This Mean for Assassin’s Creed?

The Assassin’s Creed series remains incredibly successful for Ubisoft and doesn’t appear to be losing steam anytime soon. However, this recent lawsuit, along with broader changes within the company, serves as a reminder that no franchise is completely secure. Even well-known titles like the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake were cancelled after years of work, demonstrating that even popular games aren’t immune to being cut. Despite this, Ubisoft currently has several new Assassin’s Creed games in development, including the mobile open-world game Assassin’s Creed Jade, the supernatural Assassin’s Creed Hexe, and the multiplayer-focused Assassin’s Creed Invictus.

Currently, there’s no confirmed release date for any of these upcoming Assassin’s Creed games, and they could be among the titles Ubisoft recently pushed back to 2027 or later. Interestingly, all three projects seem to be moving away from the open-world gameplay that’s typical for the main Assassin’s Creed series. Even Hexe appears to be different, leaning more towards horror and incorporating supernatural themes. The future of the franchise now rests with the team Côté worked with to develop Ubisoft’s plans. These shifts within Ubisoft, combined with the new direction of the series, suggest that Assassin’s Creed, like other Ubisoft projects, is undergoing a transformation. While it’s impossible to say what the final result will be, it’s likely that the recent changes at Ubisoft will soon become apparent in their games.

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2026-01-25 23:12