adminThe Marc-Alexis Côté lawsuit against Ubisoft seeks CAD $1.3 million in severance pay and moral damages. The former Assassin’s Creed franchise lead says the circumstances of his departure amounted to “constructive dismissal,” disputing the company’s description of his exit as voluntary.
Image credit: Ubisoft
What the Marc-Alexis Côté lawsuit claims
Côté is seeking two years’ severance pay, including CAD $75,000 in damages. Ubisoft announced last October that he had “voluntarily departed” from the company. Côté later said he had not chosen to leave, alleging that Ubisoft had decided to transfer leadership of the Assassin’s Creed franchise to another person.
In a public statement, Côté said another position had been discussed but did not offer the same scope, mandate, or continuity as his previous work. The lawsuit describes the proposed alternatives as a demotion rather than an equivalent role. These are allegations made by Côté and have not been established as a court finding.
How the proposed roles became a dispute
The claim connects the disagreement to Ubisoft’s formation of Tencent-backed subsidiary Vantage Studios last summer. According to the lawsuit, Ubisoft planned to appoint a “head of franchise” to oversee Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six.
Côté alleges that he was not considered for the position because it was based in France rather than Quebec, and that he could only be eligible if he agreed to relocate. The lawsuit says he was instead offered the role of “head of production,” reporting to the incoming franchise lead, or the opportunity to lead a “creative house” focused on a smaller Ubisoft franchise.
Côté declined both options, characterizing them as an “unacceptable demotion” disguised as a dismissal. He then told Ubisoft that his departure would require severance pay. The lawsuit alleges that the company asked him to wait for a formal response before announcing internally and publicly that he had left voluntarily.
Severance and non-compete clause
Côté claims Ubisoft described his departure as voluntary to avoid paying severance and to keep his non-compete clause in force. He has asked the court to lift that clause as part of the dispute. The requested CAD $1.3 million includes the severance and damages sought, rather than an amount that has already been awarded.
The case concerns competing accounts of Côté’s departure and the roles offered during a restructuring. A lawsuit records the claims of the party filing it; it does not by itself determine whether those claims are legally valid. Readers should distinguish the allegations from any eventual ruling or settlement.
What happens next
The legal outcome will depend on the court process and any response from Ubisoft. No court decision is described in the available information. For updates, check for official statements and filings, and verify whether the requested damages or non-compete relief change as the case proceeds.
The Marc-Alexis Côté lawsuit therefore centers on whether the proposed job changes and the way his departure was announced amounted to constructive dismissal. Until the dispute is resolved, the claims about severance, the reassignment of franchise leadership, and the non-compete clause remain allegations rather than settled findings.
