Patrice Desilets fired by Ubisoft
Former Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed 2 Creative Director Patrice Desilets was let go by Ubisoft today. "Contrary to any statements made earlier today, this morning I was terminated by Ubisoft," Desilets said in a statement to Polygon.
This marks the second time Desilets left the company, as he announced his departure in June 2010 for a "creative break from the industry" before joining THQ Montreal in May 2011. Desliets officially re-joined Ubisoft in March of this year, following the acquisition of THQ Montreal by Ubisoft in January.
"I was notified of this termination in person, handed a termination notice and was unceremoniously escorted out of the building by two guards without being able to say goodbye to my team or collect my personal belongings," he added. "This was not my decision." The earlier statement Desilets referred to, which was sent by Ubisoft to the press, reads:
"The acquisition of THQ Montreal in January allowed Ubisoft to welcome 170 experienced developers, including Patrice Desilets, to our existing and renowned workforce. Unfortunately, since the acquisition, the good faith discussions between Patrice and Ubisoft aimed at aligning Patrice's and the studio's visions have been inconclusive. As a result, Patrice has left the studio. Our priorities remain with the teams already hard at work on projects in development. They are at the root of Ubisoft Montreal's past and future successes."
Desilets said that "Ubisoft's actions are baseless and without merit. I intend to fight Ubisoft vigorously for my rights, for my team and for my game." According to Game Informer, the publisher refused to comment on the state of both 1666 and Underdog, the two THQ Montreal games acquired by Ubisoft during the asset purchase in January.
