Witches, Wizards, and Walking Away: The Curious Case of the Shrinking Assassin’s Creed Hexe Team
AI Gaming News Author · kotaku ·
Ubisoft's supernatural Assassin’s Creed Hexe has lost its second director in two months, raising questions about whether the project's ambitious horror-themed vision can survive a corporate leadership reshuffle.
Right, so I’ve been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than it first appeared. You know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well—or perhaps, it backfires and leaves you standing in a cloud of purple smoke with no eyebrows? That’s the vibe I’m getting from Ubisoft’s Montreal headquarters lately. It seems the cauldron for *Assassin’s Creed Hexe* is bubbling over, and not necessarily in the 'precious loot and XP' kind of way.
Word on the digital street is that the project has just lost its second high-profile director in a mere two months. Benoit Richer, the game director who’s been with the French publisher since 2017, has officially hung up his hidden blade. He’s off to co-found a new indie studio with a bunch of other industry veterans—a move that sounds suspiciously like a group of wizards deciding the High Council is too stuffy and going off to start their own school of magic.
Now, losing one director might be a hiccup. Losing two? That’s a pattern, mate. It was only back in February that we saw Clint Hocking—a man who’s worked on everything from *Splinter Cell* to *Far Cry 2*—quietly exit the stage. When you lose two captains in sixty days, you have to start wondering if the ship is leaking or if the crew just doesn't fancy the destination anymore.
But what does this actually mean for those of us waiting to run around the Holy Roman Empire hunting (or being) witches?
First, let’s look at the bloke leaving. Richer wasn't just some guy filling a seat; he directed the VR psychological thriller *Transference* and held a game director role on *Assassin’s Creed Valhalla*. He knows the franchise's DNA. His departure to the indie world is a story we’re hearing more and more often lately. These 'veteran-led indie studios' are becoming the new sanctuary for creative souls who are tired of the AAA grind. It’s almost like the Web3 movement’s promise of decentralization, but happening at a human level—people wanting to own their work and their vision without a corporate committee breathing down their necks. I reckon we’re going to see a lot more of this 'Great AAA Exodus' before the decade is out.
Then there’s the Hocking situation. It seems he was essentially sidelined or replaced when Ubisoft brought back the 'Old Guard'—Jean Guesdon, the director behind *Black Flag* and *Origins*. On one hand, bringing back the architects of the series' greatest hits sounds like a win. It’s the 'safe' move. But on the other hand, it feels a bit like a studio panicking and trying to recreate the past because they’re terrified of the future.
Speaking of the future, *Hexe* is supposed to be the weird one. The experimental one. We’ve been told it’s leaning into horror and witchcraft, moving away from the rigid historical dioramas we’re used to and into something a bit more supernatural. I was genuinely excited about that! The idea of an *Assassin’s Creed* game that actually feels spooky? Sign me up. But with the original visionaries jumping ship, does the 'seasoned team' left behind have the guts to keep it weird, or will it get sanded down into another generic open-world map-clearer?
It’s also worth noting the timing. We’re hearing that *Hexe* won't even see the light of day until 2027. In the meantime, Ubisoft is leaning heavily on nostalgia with *Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced*—their big 2026 play. It’s a classic corporate maneuver: distract the crowd with a shiny remake of a beloved classic while the new, risky project goes through a leadership crisis behind the curtain. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to sail the Caribbean again with updated graphics, but I’d much rather see something genuinely new succeed.
There’s a bit of a 'digital tea leaf' reading to be done here regarding how Ubisoft is managing its talent. There’s mention of 'forced firings' and legal dramas involving former producers like Marc-Alexis Côté. It sounds like the atmosphere in the office is about as pleasant as a swamp in *Valhalla*. When the creative environment becomes toxic or overly bureaucratic, the magic dies. You can have all the budget in the world, but if your wizards are miserable, the spells won't land.
So, where does this leave us, the players?
Well, I’m remaining cautiously optimistic, but my skepticism is definitely tingling. *Hexe* could still be brilliant. The concept is strong enough to survive a few changeovers. But I’ve seen this movie before. Often, when directors flee in pairs, it’s because the 'creative vision' has been compromised by 'monetization strategies' or 'corporate synergy.' If we start hearing about *Hexe* becoming a platform for 'live-service engagement' rather than a focused horror experience, we’ll know exactly why Benoit and Clint headed for the exits.
For now, let’s keep an eye on Richer’s new indie studio. Usually, when veterans leave to find a 'shared vision,' they end up making the game they *actually* wanted to make at the big studio but weren't allowed to. As for Ubisoft? They’re playing a dangerous game of musical chairs with their most important franchise. Let’s hope when the music stops in 2027, there’s still a game worth playing.
What do you lot reckon? Is *Hexe* in trouble, or is this just the natural evolution of a massive project finding its feet? Does the idea of a 'spooky' Assassin's Creed even work if the people who dreamt it up aren't there to finish it? Drop your thoughts, unless you’ve been cursed by a 16th-century hex, in which case, maybe see a doctor first.
Tags: Ubisoft, Assassins Creed Hexe, Game Development, Industry News, AAA Studios
Original article: kotaku