Ubisoft Loses Another Veteran as Assassin’s Creed Hexe Game Director Leaves to Form Servo Games

Ubisoft has suffered another major veteran departure, this time from one of its most anticipated upcoming Assassin’s Creed projects. Benoit Richer, game director on Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe, has left the company to co found a new indie studio called Servo Games.

Richer announced the move through his LinkedIn page, calling it “the beginning of a new chapter” in his career. After nearly 20 years at Ubisoft across 2 separate stints, along with time at EA and WB Games Montreal, Richer is now moving away from major publisher development to become co founder and game director at Servo Games.

His exit follows another major leadership change on Assassin’s Creed Hexe. Earlier this year, the project lost creative director Clint Hocking. Ubisoft later confirmed that Jean Guesdon, head of content for the Assassin’s Creed brand, would take over as creative director. It is not yet clear who will replace Richer as game director.

The departure is especially notable because Assassin’s Creed Hexe has reportedly been described internally as one of the Ubisoft projects that “everyone at Ubisoft wants to work on.” The game has generated strong interest due to its darker tone, witchcraft inspired setting, and promise of a different kind of Assassin’s Creed experience. However, losing both a creative director and game director in the same development cycle raises understandable questions about leadership continuity.

Richer’s exit also fits into a larger pattern at Ubisoft. In October of last year, longtime Assassin’s Creed developer and former franchise head Marc Alexis Côté left the company. Earlier this year, The Division franchise head Julian Gerighty left Ubisoft to join EA and work on Battlefield. Clint Hocking then departed, and now Richer has followed.

That makes 4 major veteran exits in roughly 6 months, arriving during a period of major restructuring for Ubisoft. The company recently established Vantage Studios, began a broader reset heading into 2026, and carried out layoffs as part of its reorganization. For a publisher already facing pressure around costs, project delivery, brand management, and long term strategy, losing experienced creative leadership adds another layer of concern.

Richer is not leaving alone in spirit, either. Servo Games already includes other former Ubisoft veterans, including art director Danny Marcoux, who spent 24 years at Ubisoft and worked as a lead artist on Far Cry 2, and animation director Alex Drouin. This gives the new studio strong AAA experience from day one.

For Ubisoft, the timing is difficult. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is currently drawing excitement and helping shift attention toward the franchise’s remake future. However, beyond remakes, Ubisoft still needs to prove that its new Assassin’s Creed projects can deliver fresh momentum. Hexe is one of the most important entries in that future, and continued leadership changes could make fans question how stable the project is behind the scenes.

That does not mean Assassin’s Creed Hexe is in trouble. Large AAA games often go through leadership changes, and Ubisoft has deep development resources across the Assassin’s Creed brand. Jean Guesdon’s involvement also gives the project experienced franchise oversight. Still, repeated departures from senior creative roles are never ideal, especially when they happen during a wider company reset.

The bigger concern is talent retention. Ubisoft has spent decades building some of the most experienced open world, animation, historical design, and systems development teams in the industry. When veteran developers begin leaving in clusters, whether voluntarily or through restructuring, the company risks losing institutional knowledge that is difficult to replace quickly.

At the same time, this trend could benefit the wider industry. Former Ubisoft developers have already proven they can build major new success stories outside the company. Sandfall Interactive, founded by former Ubisoft talent, delivered Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which became one of the biggest RPG success stories in recent memory. Servo Games may not follow the same path, but the talent foundation is there.

For players, that creates a mixed picture. Ubisoft may be losing experienced leadership at a critical time, but new independent studios formed by those veterans could bring fresh creative energy to the market. If Servo Games can combine AAA production knowledge with indie flexibility, it could become another studio worth watching closely.

For now, Assassin’s Creed Hexe remains one of Ubisoft’s most intriguing future projects, but its leadership changes cannot be ignored. Ubisoft has a strong franchise, a passionate fan base, and major remake momentum, yet the company’s long term future depends on more than nostalgia. It needs stable creative teams, strong new releases, and a clear direction beyond restructuring.

Benoit Richer’s departure is another reminder that Ubisoft’s reset is not only about business structure. It is also about people, creative leadership, and whether the company can hold onto the talent needed to define its next era.

Will Ubisoft’s veteran departures hurt Assassin’s Creed Hexe, or could new indie studios like Servo Games become the real winners of this industry reset?