When Patrice Désilets, the former creative director of Assassin's Creed, abruptly left the game, it left the impression that he was unhappy with Ubisoft's plans to pump out another sequel so soon. Not true, says a friend and colleague.
Ubisoft Montréal's Jean-Francois Boivin, the game's production manager, told GamerZines that Désilets is truly taking a creative break to recharge his batteries, nothing more. "I totally got where he was coming from because he's been talking about taking a break for a long time," Boivin said. "Right now he's watching the World Cup, and if you were to talk to him he'll say 'Yeah, I'm watching the World Cup, I'm going to the park with my daughter, maybe take a nap or read a book, and yeah, that's it'. That's all he's doing."
Boivin himself has said the series may take a one-year break after Brotherhood is finished. And Désilets' departure from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood didn't leave the studio scrambling, either: "In regards to Brotherhood, he did everything that he needed to do; he was at the recording sessions, he did the script, he did the casting with me, and he just said 'here's the port, bring it home,'" Boivin said. "All there is to do right now for Brotherhood is to just bring it home."
That does not necessarily mean Désilets will be coming home to Ubisoft. THQ has indicated that it's got some big names lined up to come aboard, and that publisher has opened a studio in Montréal. Asked if Désilets would return, Boivin told GamerZines: "I don't know. He doesn't even know himself."
Assassin's Creed's Production Manager Discusses Patrice Desilets' Departure [GamerZines via VG247]