Assassin's Creed Hexe Loses Another Key Developer as Game Director Benoit Richer Departs Ubisoft

Benoit Richer left Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe (Image: Ubisoft)

Benoit Richer, the game director of Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe, has left Ubisoft to co-found a new independent studio called Servo Games, based in Quebec.

"This is the beginning of a new chapter," Richer wrote on LinkedIn, adding, "Proud to contribute to the Quebec creative ecosystem and help it grow."

He did not share details about what Servo Games is currently working on, though he promised more information in the future.

He co-founded the studio alongside a group of industry veterans, including Luc Tremblay, who takes on the roles of president, creative director, and director of technology, as well as Alex Drouin as animation director and Dany Marcoux as art director.

As for his background, Richer's career in the games industry runs deep. He began at Ubisoft Montréal as a level designer back in 2001, later moved to Electronic Arts, and then spent six years at WB Games Montréal. He eventually returned to Ubisoft Montréal as a game director, where he led work on Codename Hexe before his exit.

His departure makes him the third significant figure to leave the Hexe project in recent times, and that is where things start to get a little messy. Back in October 2025, former Assassin's Creed franchise lead Marc-Alexis Côté left the project. Côté later went on record saying he did not walk away voluntarily but was asked to step aside. He then filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft in January 2026, alleging "disguised dismissal" to avoid Severance Pay, following the transfer of the Assassin's Creed brand to Tencent-backed Vantage Studios.

Then came the news that creative director Clint Hocking was also leaving. Hocking's departure was confirmed in February 2026, following Ubisoft's "restructuring" plan. At the time, Ubisoft issued a statement thanking him for his contributions and assured players that the game would continue with a seasoned team. "The game will deliver something distinctive within the Assassin's Creed franchise. We look forward to sharing more information in the future," the company said.

Following Hocking's exit, Jean Guesdon, who serves as head of content for the Assassin's Creed brand, was appointed as the new creative director for Hexe.

Codename Hexe was first announced in 2022, with early impressions suggesting it would draw inspiration from European witchcraft. As per Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, Hexe is one of several titles currently in development at Vantage Studios, alongside the Far Cry franchise.

No release date has been announced yet, and given the ongoing leadership changes, it remains one of the more mysterious projects in the pipeline.

It is worth noting that while Hexe's future remains uncertain, the Assassin's Creed series is not short of activity. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, a remake of the beloved 2013 pirate adventure, was announced and is set to release on July 9th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.