Ubisoft replaces two core leads on Assassin's Creed Hexe within months

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Hexe just lost two key leads in quick succession. Game director Benoit Richer left last month for indie studio Servo Games. Two months before that, creative director Clint Hocking also departed.

With both core positions vacant, Ubisoft appointed Jean Guesdon as creative director this February. Guesdon's resume is solid—he directed Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Origins. But inheriting a mid-development project that just lost its top two leads is a tough spot.

Hexe is set during the 16th-century European witch hunts. Guesdon describes it as "a unique, darker, narrative-driven experience." Ambitious pitch, but team stability is now the real concern. When your creative core turns over, does the game's direction shift with it?

Ubisoft's project management has been shaky lately—Valhalla post-launch content dragged, multiple titles delayed. Hexe was already a long-term project; now it's weathering leadership upheaval. Guesdon's experience helps, but whether he can stabilize things remains to be seen.

For players, the move is simple: wait. Ubisoft needs to prove it can ship a finished, polished game—not just pitch a cool concept.