Ubisoft Montreal on Désilets’s move: It’s a “shocker”

By Justin Kranzl

Patrice Désilets’ decision to join THQ and create a studio in Montreal has seen an empathetic if surprised response from senior Ubisoft Montreal staff. Publicly, at least.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood producer Vincent Pontbriand is reported by CVG as describing the move as a “shocker”, before adding he might have done the same thing. Brand manager Eric Gallant dubbed the move as “unfortunate”.

Both Pontbriand and Gallant stressed the Assassin’s Creed series was a team effort and that Ubisoft Montreal was in good hands.

“He didn’t come up with all the ideas himself. There is a fifteen-person core team. We’re fine,” said Pontbriand.

Désilets left the company just prior to E3 2010 to take a break after finishing his work on Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood.

One of Désilets’s friends and co-workers, AC associate producer Jean-Francois Boivin told press at the time that it wasn’t a big surprise as “he’s been talking about taking a break for a long time.”