Assassin’s Creed Veteran Alleges He Was Pushed Out After Tencent-Backed Vantage Reshuffle
Marc-Alexis Côté, the longtime head of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, has left Ubisoft after more than 20 years. According to his own post and reporting from industry outlets, his exit came after the franchise’s leadership moved into Ubisoft’s new Vantage Studios — a unit created with backing from Tencent.
What happened
In short, Ubisoft moved Assassin’s Creed under Vantage Studios, and Marc-Alexis Côté is no longer with the company. Vantage Studios is a new organizational entity at Ubisoft that also oversees franchises like Far Cry and Rainbow Six, and it was formed with financial backing from Chinese tech giant Tencent. IGN reported that Côté was offered a role at Vantage but turned it down — and shortly after, he left Ubisoft.
Côté’s account
Côté posted his version of events on LinkedIn, and he was clear about what he says happened. He wrote:
“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.”
“Ubisoft decided to transfer the leadership of the Assassin’s Creed franchise to someone closer to its new organizational structure. A different position was mentioned, but it did not carry the same scope, mandate, or continuity with the work I had been entrusted with in recent years.”
“I want to be clear that I hold no resentment. Ubisoft has been my home for all my professional life, and I will always be grateful for the people, the projects, and the belief that together we could create worlds that inspire millions.”
“But I also owe it to my teams, past and present, to say this plainly: I did not walk away. I stayed at my post until Ubisoft asked me to step aside.”
Ubisoft and Vantage response
Ubisoft, for its part, described Côté’s departure differently. A company spokesperson characterized his move as “[choosing] to pursue a new path elsewhere outside of Ubisoft.” The spokesperson’s phrasing frames the exit as a personal decision rather than a forced change.
Meanwhile, Vantage Studios co-CEO Christophe Derennes said in an internal memo that he was “disappointed” by Côté’s decision, according to IGN. Derennes also said Côté “had his own expectations and priorities related to Vantage Studios’ creation and future,” Derennes reportedly said.
Franchise context
The change comes during a bumpy period for Assassin’s Creed. This year’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows faced multiple delays and debate about character choices. Additionally, past reporting says Ubisoft canceled a planned Assassin’s Creed set after the U.S. Civil War — a project that would have had players take on the role of a formerly enslaved Black man fighting the Ku Klux Klan. You can read more on that report.
Furthermore, Ubisoft is preparing new DLC for Assassin’s Creed Mirage that involved external funding, adding to the sense of transition and outside influence in the franchise’s recent decisions.
Côté’s career highlights
Marc-Alexis Côté joined Ubisoft in 2005. Over two decades, he worked across multiple Assassin’s Creed projects. For example, he started working on the series with Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood in 2010, served as game director for Assassin’s Creed III at Ubisoft Quebec, and later acted as creative director and executive producer on several entries.
So, while a new leadership era appears to be beginning for Assassin’s Creed, Côté’s long history with the series is plain to see — and both fans and industry watchers will be paying attention to what comes next.
