Former Ubisoft Lead Sues Company

Drama

19 January 2026 14:23

Marc-Alexis Côté, who spent more than 20 years at Ubisoft and led the massive franchise in recent years, has filed a lawsuit in Quebec's Superior Court seeking CAD $1.3 million in damages. The claim centers on what he calls constructive dismissal, arguing his October 2025 exit wasn't truly voluntary.

Côté, who helped shape Assassin's Creed from titles like Brotherhood through to the recent Shadows launch, says the company pushed him out by restructuring leadership in a way that sidelined him. In his LinkedIn post clarifying the situation back then, he wrote: "The truth is simple: I did not make that choice." He added: "Ubisoft decided to transfer the leadership of the Assassin's Creed franchise to someone else." And: "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.

"The trouble traces back to last summer when Ubisoft set up Vantage Studios, a Tencent-backed subsidiary handling Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Côté claims he learned the company planned to hire a new "head of franchise" role overseeing those big IPs. That position, based in France rather than Quebec where Côté worked, wasn't offered to him. Instead, he says he got proposals to become "head of production" under the new head or to run a creative house for smaller franchises.

He turned both down, viewing them as major steps down from his previous direct reporting line to CEO Yves Guillemot. Côté describes the offers as an "unacceptable demotion" which was "disguised as a dismissal." When he pushed back and requested severance, he alleges Ubisoft announced his departure as voluntary both internally and to the public, a move he believes was designed to dodge payout obligations and enforce his non-compete agreement.

The lawsuit demands two years' salary plus CAD $75,000 for moral damages tied to reputational harm and stress. Côté is also asking the court to void the non-compete clause so he can pursue new opportunities in an industry still reeling from widespread layoffs.

This comes after Ubisoft's official line at the time framed his exit as a personal choice amid the March 2025 organizational changes. The company expressed gratitude for his contributions while noting confidence in the teams moving forward under Vantage's new structure, led by figures like Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot.

More:ALGS Year 5 Winners Crowned

Tags: Ubisoft

Share:

Sources:

Report mistake Submit news

Related news

View All

Ubisoft Halifax to Unionize

Workers at Ubisoft’s Halifax studio have officially formed a union, marking a historic moment for the company in North America....

Business

Jan 06, 2026

Ubisoft Servers Shutdown After Hack

Ubisoft has temporarily taken down the Rainbow Six Siege servers and marketplace following a large-scale hack that affected players across...

More

Dec 29, 2025

Ubisoft Acquires March of Giants

Ubisoft has announced that it has acquired the upcoming multiplayer online battle arena game March of Giants. Along with the...

Mergers and Acquisitions

Dec 15, 2025

Ubisoft Tencent Deal Confirmed

Ubisoft has finalized Tencent's €1.16 billion investment in Vantage Studios, the division responsible for some of the company's most iconic...

More

Nov 24, 2025

Ubisoft Reveals H1 Earnings

Ubisoft has reported first half earnings that beat expectations and says its €1.16 billion partnership deal with Tencent remains on...

Business

Nov 21, 2025

Former Ubisoft Lead Sues Company

Drama

19 January 2026 14:23

Tags: Ubisoft

Marc-Alexis Côté, who spent more than 20 years at Ubisoft and led the massive franchise in recent years, has filed a lawsuit in Quebec's Superior Court seeking CAD $1.3 million in damages. The claim centers on what he calls constructive dismissal, arguing his October 2025 exit wasn't truly voluntary.

Côté, who helped shape Assassin's Creed from titles like Brotherhood through to the recent Shadows launch, says the company pushed him out by restructuring leadership in a way that sidelined him. In his LinkedIn post clarifying the situation back then, he wrote: "The truth is simple: I did not make that choice." He added: "Ubisoft decided to transfer the leadership of the Assassin's Creed franchise to someone else." And: "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.

"The trouble traces back to last summer when Ubisoft set up Vantage Studios, a Tencent-backed subsidiary handling Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Côté claims he learned the company planned to hire a new "head of franchise" role overseeing those big IPs. That position, based in France rather than Quebec where Côté worked, wasn't offered to him. Instead, he says he got proposals to become "head of production" under the new head or to run a creative house for smaller franchises.

He turned both down, viewing them as major steps down from his previous direct reporting line to CEO Yves Guillemot. Côté describes the offers as an "unacceptable demotion" which was "disguised as a dismissal." When he pushed back and requested severance, he alleges Ubisoft announced his departure as voluntary both internally and to the public, a move he believes was designed to dodge payout obligations and enforce his non-compete agreement.

The lawsuit demands two years' salary plus CAD $75,000 for moral damages tied to reputational harm and stress. Côté is also asking the court to void the non-compete clause so he can pursue new opportunities in an industry still reeling from widespread layoffs.

This comes after Ubisoft's official line at the time framed his exit as a personal choice amid the March 2025 organizational changes. The company expressed gratitude for his contributions while noting confidence in the teams moving forward under Vantage's new structure, led by figures like Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot.

More:ALGS Year 5 Winners Crowned

Share:

Sources:

Report mistake Submit news