Former Assassin’s Creed Leader Files Lawsuit Against Ubisoft for Nearly $1 Million Over Alleged Wrongful Termination

In 2025, Marc-Alexis Côté, the head of the Assassin’s Creed franchise and a veteran of Ubisoft for two decades, unexpectedly departed from the company following the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Recently, he revealed that his exit was not voluntary but rather a forced dismissal, and he is now suing Ubisoft for nearly $1 million, claiming “constructive dismissal” after being demoted from his leadership role in the franchise.

According to reports, Côté’s lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of Quebec, seeking $1.3 million Canadian dollars in damages, which is approximately $935,000. He outlines the circumstances leading to his departure, including a pivotal meeting in the summer of 2025 where it became evident that he would no longer oversee Assassin’s Creed, a franchise he had been steering since the ambitious strategy reboot in 2022.

Last year, Ubisoft established a subsidiary named Vantage Studios, backed by $1.25 billion in funding from Tencent, to manage its most lucrative franchises, including Rainbow Six Siege, Far Cry, and Assassin’s Creed. This new structure is led by Christophe Derennes, head of North American studios, and Charlie Guillemot, son of CEO Yves Guillemot. Before this shift, Côté reported directly to Yves Guillemot.

Under the new model, Ubisoft aimed to appoint a Head of Franchise to oversee all major IPs, including Assassin’s Creed, effectively sidelining Côté, as stated in his lawsuit. This new role would be based solely in France, making it impossible for Côté to continue unless he relocated.

Côté was reportedly offered a new position as head of franchise production or a vague role leading a “Creative House” for a lesser-known franchise. When he declined and sought severance for losing his position in October, Ubisoft unexpectedly announced his “voluntary” departure both internally and publicly the following day.

“The past 24 hours have been deeply emotional,” he shared on LinkedIn at the time. “Many of you have expressed surprise that I would choose to leave Assassin’s Creed after so many years, especially given the passion I still hold for it. The truth is simple: I did not make that choice.” Côté is now asking the Quebec court for damages, his severance, and to be released from a non-compete clause that restricts his future opportunities in the gaming industry.

This lawsuit coincides with the one-year anniversary of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the last title released under Côté’s leadership, who has been involved with the series since 2010’s Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. Shadows was initially slated for a 2024 release but was delayed to allow for additional development time, marking the longest gap between new entries in the franchise.

Côté previously announced a shift in the development model to create a more sustainable approach for teams, moving from an average of three years per development cycle to longer timelines. This change aims to foster collaboration and extend support for games over time.

He indicated that the franchise would evolve along two distinct paths, with Shadows continuing the open-world RPG formula established by Assassin’s Creed Origins, while the next installment, Assassin’s Creed Hexe, directed by Clint Hocking, would offer a “fresh and different” experience. However, several projects, including the multiplayer spin-off Invictus and the mobile “AAA” game Jade, remain unannounced. Additionally, a remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is rumored to be on the horizon.

Neither Ubisoft nor Côté has responded to requests for comment.