Imagine dedicating two decades of your life to a company, only to be unceremoniously pushed out of the very franchise you helped shape. That’s exactly what Marc-Alexis Côté, the former head of Assassin’s Creed, claims happened to him—and now he’s suing Ubisoft for nearly $1 million. But here’s where it gets controversial: Côté alleges he was forced out in a move he calls a “constructive dismissal,” after being demoted from leading Ubisoft’s flagship franchise. And this is the part most people miss: His lawsuit not only demands damages but also seeks to void a non-compete clause that’s limiting his career in the gaming industry.
In 2025, Côté, a 20-year Ubisoft veteran, abruptly left the company following the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Three months later, he broke his silence, revealing that his departure wasn’t voluntary. According to a lawsuit filed in Quebec’s Superior Court, Côté is seeking $1.3 million Canadian dollars (roughly $935,000 USD) in damages. The suit details a series of events leading to his exit, including a pivotal 2025 meeting where it became clear he would no longer lead the franchise he’d helmed since its 2022 strategy reboot. That reboot had outlined an ambitious future for Assassin’s Creed, but Côté’s role in it was seemingly being erased.
Here’s where things get complicated: Ubisoft had recently launched Vantage Studios, a subsidiary backed by $1.25 billion from Tencent, to house its most profitable franchises: Rainbow Six Siege, Far Cry, and Assassin’s Creed. Led by Christophe Derennes and CEO Yves Guillemot’s son, Charlie Guillemot, this new structure reportedly sidelined Côté. Ubisoft sought to hire a Head of Franchise to oversee all major IPs, effectively demoting Côté. The role was based in France, a move that would require him to uproot his life across the Atlantic—something he wasn’t willing to do.
Instead, Côté was offered a lesser position as franchise production head or an ambiguous role leading a “Creative House” for a smaller franchise. When he declined and requested severance in October, Ubisoft allegedly announced his “voluntary” departure the next day—both internally and publicly. “I did not make that choice,” Côté wrote emotionally on LinkedIn, sparking a wave of support and questions from fans and colleagues alike.
But here’s the real question: Was this a strategic corporate reshuffle, or a calculated move to push out a long-time leader? Côté’s lawsuit paints a picture of a company prioritizing structural changes over loyalty, but Ubisoft has yet to respond publicly. And this is the part most people miss: The timing of this lawsuit coincides with the one-year anniversary of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the last game Côté worked on. That game, originally slated for 2024, was delayed to extend its development cycle—part of Côté’s 2022 initiative to make the franchise more sustainable by shifting to longer, more human-friendly dev cycles.
Côté had envisioned the franchise evolving along two tracks: one continuing the open-world RPG formula of Assassin’s Creed Origins, and the other, like Assassin’s Creed Hexe, offering something “fresh and different.” Yet, years later, projects like the multiplayer spin-off Invictus and the mobile game Jade remain in limbo, while a rumored remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is reportedly on the horizon. What does this say about Ubisoft’s current direction—and the fate of the franchise Côté helped build?
As the gaming community watches this drama unfold, one thing is clear: this isn’t just about money or roles—it’s about the human cost of corporate restructuring. Do you think Côté’s claims are justified, or is this a case of a company evolving with the times? Let us know in the comments—this debate is far from over.
