In a surprising development, the veteran creative lead behind the beloved Assassin’s Creed franchise has clarified that his departure from the series was not a personal choice. Marc-Alexis Côté, who dedicated nearly two decades to Ubisoft and served as the Vice President and Executive Producer for Assassin’s Creed for the last three years, was asked by the company to step aside.
Taking to LinkedIn, Côté expressed his unwavering passion for Assassin’s Creed, stating, “I did not walk away. I stayed at my post until Ubisoft asked me to step aside.” He prefaced this statement by emphasizing that he holds no resentment toward Ubisoft for their decision.
This leadership transition aligns with Ubisoft’s recent establishment of Vantage Studios, a new subsidiary tasked with overseeing major franchises including Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six, and Far Cry. Côté confirmed that, as a result of this reorganization, the leadership of the Assassin’s Creed franchise was transferred. He also mentioned that while he was offered a different role, it did not possess the same scope, mandate, or continuity as his previous responsibilities.
Côté played a pivotal role in the launch of the latest installment, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which arrived earlier this year on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Beyond this, whispers and unofficial reports suggest that Assassin’s Creed Shadows might also be heading to the Nintendo Switch 2 in December. Further adding to the franchise’s recent news, an earlier report revealed that Ubisoft had canceled an Assassin’s Creed game set during the American Civil War, reportedly due to concerns about potential controversy. For a comprehensive overview, an accompanying image gallery ranks every Assassin’s Creed game.