Something is obviously wrong with Assassin’s Creed Hexe. In less than two months, the project has already lost two top executives — and this is against the background of the fact that, apparently, it is still far from release.
Game director Benoit Risher announced his retirement from Ubisoft via a LinkedIn post. He joined the new indie studio Servo Games and is no longer involved in the development of Hexe.
Risher is not a random person in the industry. He joined Ubisoft in 2017 after working on Batman: Arkham Origins at Warner Bros. Montreal, directed the psychological VR thriller Transference, was co-director of AC Valhalla and then headed Hexe. Nine years in the company — and leaving for indie.
According to Risher himself, Servo Games is a studio of industry veterans with a shared vision of what the gaming experience should be like. He became one of the co-founders.
Before him, in February, creative director Clint Hawking left the project, a man with a track record from Splinter Cell, Far Cry 2 and Watch Dogs: Legion.
He was replaced by Jean Guesdon, the director of the original Black Flag and Origins. The game director’s chair is now vacant.
Insiders hint that Risher’s departure could be related to internal disagreements. There are no official comments from Ubisoft.
In addition to Hawking and Risher, Luc Couture, director of level design, also left the project earlier. That’s three notable losses in a relatively short period of time.
At the same time, the game itself remains extremely mysterious. According to rumors, the action takes place in Germany of the XVI century during the time of the witch trials. The player controls a character named Elsa, a witch who is affiliated with the assassins. Gesdon described Hexe as a “unique, dark and narrative” game.
The release is expected no earlier than 2027. In 2026, Ubisoft is betting on a remake of Black Flag Resynced. So the team still has time — the question is whether anyone will be left to take advantage of it.
Who left Assassin’s Creed Hexe in 2026:
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Luc Couture— Director of level design, left first
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Clint Hawking, creative director, veteran of Splinter Cell and Far Cry 2, left the project in February.
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Benoit Risher, game director, author of Batman: Arkham Origins and co—director of AC Valhalla, left for Servo Games in April.
What will happen to Assassin’s Creed Hexe now?
Formally, the development continues under the leadership of Jean Guesdon. He’s an experienced man, with Black Flag and Origins, two of the most beloved games in the series, behind him. But the signals are alarming: three departures of key people in a few months, zero official information about the game, and a release no earlier than 2027. For a project that Ubisoft positions as a “Naughty Dog-level dark narrative experience,” this is not the best start.
