Ex-Assassin's Creed Franchise Director Says His Exit Was Not His Choice

By now, you've probably already heard that Marc-Alexis Côté, Vice President and Executive Producer of the Assassin's Creed franchise with over 20 years at Ubisoft, has left the company following the launch of Vantage Studios – a new subsidiary established in collaboration with Tencent – which will now oversee the AC series.

As is often the case with high-profile departures like this one, the main question within the community was whether the executive left of his own accord or was ousted by Ubisoft leadership. Somewhat unexpectedly, given that such matters usually remain undisclosed, this question was answered directly by Côté himself, who revealed that his departure was not his choice.

In a LinkedIn post confirming his exit beyond any doubt, the former director stated that he "did not make that choice," clarifying that it was Ubisoft's decision to hand over leadership of the Assassin's Creed franchise to someone more aligned with the company's new organizational structure.

According to Côté, he was indeed offered another position – reportedly a leadership role – but it "did not carry the same scope, mandate, or continuity with the work I had been entrusted with in recent years," which, in simpler terms, amounted to a demotion in his eyes. Therefore, while it would be technically correct to say that the former director left Ubisoft, he did so only because other executives asked him to "step aside," and not because he himself wished to leave.

Despite that, Côté noted that he holds no grudges against Ubisoft or any particular individual within the organization.

So, what's your take on Côté's not-particularly-voluntary departure? Was it deserved and justified? Will we see more high-profile Ubisoft execs demoted and/or leaving the studio? Share your thoughts down in the comments!