• New Leadership Trio: Martin Schelling, Jean Guesdon, and François de Billy are taking control of the franchise.
  • Vantage Studios: A new Ubisoft sub-company, partially funded by Tencent, now houses the Assassin’s Creed brand.
  • Veteran Pedigree: The new leads have combined experience stretching from the 2007 original to Origins and Black Flag.
  • Legal Friction: Former lead Marc-Alexis Côté is currently suing Ubisoft for damages following the restructure.

The Old Guard Takes the Helm

Ubisoft is shuffling the deck, but they aren't bringing in outsiders to run their most precious IP. We’re seeing a "next era" for Assassin’s Creed under the newly formed Vantage Studios, and the names at the top are heavy hitters for anyone who’s been following the Brotherhood since the early days. This isn't just a corporate rebrand; it’s a consolidation of the series' most successful creative DNA.

Martin Schelling is stepping up as the head of the Assassin’s Creed brand. Schelling has been a staple in the production credits since Revelations back in 2011, meaning he’s seen the series through its highest peaks and its experimental shifts. He’s now tasked with the "overall strategy and long-term vision"—basically, he's the man deciding where the Leap of Faith goes next.

Creative and Production Muscle

If you're worried about the series losing its way, Jean Guesdon’s appointment as head of content should ease some of those fears. Guesdon has been with the franchise since Assassin’s Creed 2 and was the creative director for both Black Flag and Origins—arguably the two most significant "reboots" the series ever had. His mandate is to "guide the future" while staying "true to its core DNA." In our view, having the architect of the series' best naval and RPG mechanics in charge of creative direction is a massive win for consistency.

Rounding out the trio is François de Billy as the head of production excellence. De Billy’s tenure goes all the way back to the very first game in 2007. His job is to sharpen the actual process of making these massive open worlds. After years of Ubisoft games feeling a bit bloated or buggy at launch, having a veteran dedicated strictly to "production excellence" is a move we believe is long overdue.

The Vantage Studios Shift and Tencent’s Influence

The formation of Vantage Studios is the biggest structural change here. Partly funded by Tencent, this sub-company seems designed to silo Assassin’s Creed into its own powerhouse unit. The new trio will be joining forces with Andrée-Anne Boisvert (technological excellence) and Lionel Hiller (brand strategy) to form a leadership "megasquad" for the franchise.

Legal Clouds Over the New Era

While the internal blog posts sound optimistic, the transition hasn't been without casualties. Former series lead Marc-Alexis Côté departed Ubisoft last year, and the exit was anything but clean. Côté is currently suing the company for damages, alleging that the formation of Vantage Studios led to a game of "corporate musical chairs" where he was offered roles he considered demotions. He claims he was left with no choice but to resign. It’s a bitter footnote to an otherwise ambitious restructuring, proving that even as Ubisoft looks toward a "next era," the ghosts of its previous leadership still haunt the halls.