Former Assassin’s Creed franchise lead sues Ubisoft for “constructive dismissal”

Former Assassin’s Creed franchise lead Marc-Alexis Côté has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft for CAD $1.3 million, citing “constructive dismissal.”

As reported by CBC Radio Canada (via machine translation), Côté has requested two years’ severance pay and CAD $75,000 in damages after Ubisoft announced he had “voluntarily departed” from the firm last October.

Côté later clarified that he “did not make the choice” to leave Ubisoft, claiming the developer “decided to transfer the leadership of the Assassin’s Creed franchise to someone else.”

“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,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

This lawsuit alleged that during the formation of Tencent-backed subsidiary Vantage Studios last summer, Ubisoft was looking to hire a ‘head of franchise’ to oversee Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six.

The suit claimed that Côté wasn’t considered for the role as it was based in France, not Quebec, and that he could only be eligible if he was willing to relocate.

Côté was allegedly offered the role of ‘head of production’ instead, which would report to the incoming ‘head of franchise’, or to lead a ‘creative house’ for a smaller Ubisoft franchise.

Côté declined both offers, which he described as an “unacceptable demotion” which was “disguised as a dismissal.”

He then told Ubisoft that his exit would require severance pay. The developer allegedly told him to wait for a formal response, to which it then announced internally and publicly that he had “voluntarily departed” from the company.

Côté claimed Ubisoft said he left on his own accord to avoid providing severance pay and to keep his non-compete clause active – which he has requested to be lifted by the court.

GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Ubisoft and Côté for comment.