Assassin's Creed Director Leaves Ubisoft
Clint Hocking, Creative Director for the upcoming Assassin's Creed project, has left Ubisoft following a company-wide restructure. Hocking's career spanned major franchises including Far Cry, Splinter Cell, and Watch Dogs, making his departure notable for the industry.
- The project Hocking was leading is titled *Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe*, which is rumored to focus on witch trials in the Holy Roman Empire. Jean Guesdon, who previously co-directed *Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag* and *Assassin's Creed Origins*, will take over as the new creative director on the project. - Hocking's departure comes shortly after Ubisoft announced a new leadership team for the Assassin's Creed brand, which is now managed by Vantage Studios, a subsidiary with backing from Tencent. This follows the departure of former Assassin's Creed franchise head Marc-Alexis Côté in October 2025, who subsequently filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft. - This is Hocking's second time leaving Ubisoft. His first tenure included directing influential titles like *Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory* and *Far Cry 2*. After leaving in 2010, he had stints at LucasArts, Valve, and Amazon before returning to Ubisoft in 2015 to direct *Watch Dogs: Legion*. - The broader company restructuring at Ubisoft, described as a "major reset," has led to the cancellation of six games, including the *Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time* remake, and the closure of studios like Ubisoft Halifax. - The shake-up at the company has been met with internal resistance, leading to a strike by over 1,200 employees in February 2026 in response to the restructuring, layoffs, and a mandatory return-to-office policy. - In a recent update, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed that several Assassin's Creed titles remain in development, including both single-player and multiplayer experiences. Besides *Hexe*, this includes a multiplayer project codenamed *Invictus* and a rumored remake of *Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag*.
