One of the most influential faces of the series Assassin’s Creed can’t digest the way his adventure at Ubisoft ended. Marc-Alexis Côté, former boss of the franchise, has taken legal action against the French publisher. He is seeking 1.3 million Canadian dollars (approximately 937,000 US dollars) for constructive dismissal, moral damages and unpaid severance pay.
According to information revealed by Radio-Canada, Côté considers that he did not leave the company of his own free will, but that he was gradually ousted from his management position, replaced in fact by Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot, respectively cousin and son of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot.
An unacknowledged demotion at the heart of the conflict
The heart of the complaint is based on an “unacceptable demotion,” according to Côté. From the start of 2025, he notices that he is no longer in control. He was even refused the possibility of resuming his role at the head of Assassin’s Creed, officially for geographical reasons: the headquarters being in France, and he residing in Canada, he would have been dismissed without recourse.
Offering him a position as “production manager” under a new hierarchy is then experienced as a humiliation. He refuses. During his reflection period, Ubisoft asks him to no longer report to work as of October 13. The next day, the company announced his official departure.
Ubisoft says Côté left on his own
For its part, Ubisoft communicates a very different version to its teams and the press: “Following the organizational restructuring announced in March 2025, Marc-Alexis Côté has chosen to follow a new path outside of Ubisoft.” can we read in an internal note. The publisher also adds: “While we are sad to see him go, we are confident that our talented teams will build on the solid foundation he helped build.”
But today, Côté affirms that this communication masks unfair sidelining. He also asks Ubisoft to lift the non-competition clause that currently prevents him from working in another studio. Ubisoft, for its part, is content with a terse statement: “We do not comment on legal matters.”
The departure of a historical pillar of Assassin’s Creed
Joining Ubisoft in 2005, Marc-Alexis Côté has risen through the ranks: software engineer, creative director, senior producer. He notably piloted Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Syndicate And Odyssey. In 2022, he takes the reins of the entire franchise and coordinates the launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows as well as the transmedia project Assassin’s Creed Infinity.
His sidelining, which occurred a few months after the franchise was integrated into Vantage Studios (supported by Tencent), marks a turning point in internal governance. The trial could reveal more about tensions at the top of Ubisoft.