Marc-Alexis Côté, the former head of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise, has filed a lawsuit against the French games publisher seeking CAD $1.3 million (around USD 937k), alleging that his departure from the company amounted to a “disguised dismissal” designed to avoid paying severance.
According to Radio Canada, Côté is claiming lost severance pay and damages following his exit from Ubisoft in October last year. He argues that a series of organisational changes left him effectively demoted in an “unacceptable” manner, forcing him out after more than two decades at the company.
Côté’s departure came shortly after Assassin’s Creed was placed under a new Tencent-backed business unit, Vantage Studios. At the time, Ubisoft informed staff via an internal email that leadership needed to be aligned with the unit’s core goals. Côté had been offered a role within Vantage Studios’ leadership but chose not to accept it, according to a recent report by IGN.
In his lawsuit, Côté says his role was weakened after Vantage Studios put new leaders above him, including Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot, who are related to Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot. He claims that he later learned the company was seeking a new head of the Assassin’s Creed franchise and that he was told he would not be supported for the role, which was to be based in France rather than Canada.
The claim further states that Côté was offered alternative roles, including a head of production position reporting to a new franchise lead, or leadership of another business unit focused on smaller franchises. After informing Ubisoft that his departure would require severance pay, he was allegedly told not to report to work while the company considered its response. Ubisoft announced his departure the following day.
In a statement at the time, Ubisoft said that following organisational restructuring, Côté had chosen to pursue opportunities outside the company, adding that it was confident its teams would continue to build on the foundation he helped create.
Côté’s filing alleges abuse of power and reputational damage, and seeks the equivalent of two years’ salary, additional damages, and the lifting of a non-compete clause that restricts his ability to work elsewhere. His representatives have confirmed the lawsuit.
Marc-Alexis Côté joined Ubisoft in 2005 and rose through the ranks from software engineer to become a key creative figure behind several Assassin’s Creed titles. He was appointed head of the franchise in 2022, overseeing plans for its long-term direction and future releases.
