Former Assassin's Creed director Marc-Alexis Côté has filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft, accusing the company of unfairly pressuring him to resign. The claim was reported by Radio Canada and centers on a dispute over Côté's role and the management of the Assassin's Creed franchise following internal restructuring.
According to the complaint, Ubisoft began to sideline Côté after it created a subsidiary, Vantage Studios, which assumed the rights to the Assassin's Creed series. During a meeting in summer 2025, Côté learned that Vantage was searching for a new franchise director who would take over most of his responsibilities. At that time, Ubisoft offered Côté the position of head of development — a role he considers a demotion that removed key aspects of his previous authority.
When Côté rejected that change, Ubisoft reportedly proposed another position: head of creative for several lesser-known franchises. That offer came without clear plans or commitments for those properties. Unwilling to accept what he viewed as a diminished role, Côté took two weeks to consider his options and ultimately judged the proposals to be demotions. He then demanded compensation from the studio for the reduction in status and responsibilities.
Ubisoft asked Côté to continue performing his duties while the company considered his complaint, but around the same time management circulated an internal memo stating that Côté had left of his own accord. Côté contends that this announcement amounted to constructive conduct intended to force his resignation and to avoid payment of the compensation he sought. In his lawsuit he is now seeking $1.3 million in damages plus additional moral compensation.
Côté left Ubisoft in October 2025 after more than two decades with the company. Ubisoft initially described his departure as voluntary, but Côté has maintained that his resignation was not his decision and that he was effectively pushed out. The legal action will aim to determine whether the company unlawfully pressured him and whether he is entitled to the compensation he requests.