Assassin’s Creed head leaves Ubisoft after IP moves to new subsidiary Vantage Studios

Ubisoft has confirmed that longtime Assassin’s Creed producer Marc-Alexis Coté is leaving the company following the formation of its new Tencent-backed subsidiary, Vantage Studios.

The details:

• As reported by VGC, Ubisoft confirmed Coté’s departure in an internal note sent to staff on Tuesday. Ubisoft thanked the producer for working on the hit franchise for almost two decades, beginning with its 2007 debut and working on other entries as a designer, producer, and director. Since 2022, Coté has overseen the franchise’s development studios as well as Ubisoft’s strategy when it comes to the series’ major releases.
• According to co-CEOs Charlie Guillemot and Christophe Derennes, Coté was offered a new leadership position at Vantage Studios, the new subsidiary under Ubisoft and Tencent which houses the company’s biggest franchises. However, despite the offer, the pair confirmed that he had instead opted to leave Ubisoft, which was echoed in a statement sent to VGC. “While we are disappointed by his decision, we understand and respect that MAC had his own expectations and priorities related to Vantage Studios’ creation and future,” the co-CEOs wrote in an email to staff. “Unfortunately, despite being offered several opportunities to be part of the leadership team shaping our strategic direction, MAC respectfully declined and decided to look to start his next chapter elsewhere.”
• Vantage Studios, which officially began operating in early October, is the home of Ubisoft’s main development studios that work on Rainbow Six Siege, Assassin’s Creed, and Far Cry. It’s expected that the move away from Ubisoft’s core structure will grant developers more control over their respective projects, allowing them to address feedback from players much faster with less unnecessary input from leadership.