In 2007, Patrice Désilets worked with Ubisoft to deliver what would go on to become the French publisher’s largest franchise ever- Assassin’s Creed. After a few years, however, he ended up leaving Ubisoft, and decided to join THQ to work on his new project, 1666 Amsterdam. In a cruel twist of irony, however, THQ went bankrupt and 1666 and all related resources and personnel ended up being bought back by- Ubisoft, who promptly fired him, while retaining the rights to the IP.
This led to a protracted lawsuit that now seems to have found a peaceful resolution. In a joint statement released by Désilets and the publisher, the two parties confirmed that Désilets will now have full business and creative rights over the IP. In return, he will be withdrawing his lawsuit against Ubisoft.
“I’m glad Ubisoft and I were able to come to an agreement that will allow me to obtain the rights to project 1666 Amsterdam,” said Désilets. “I will now devote myself entirely to the development of Ancestors: the Humankind Odyssey, my next game with Panache Digital Games. This is what matters most to me today: making the best games and showing the world the creative talent of Quebecers. I also wish every success to the Ubisoft teams.”
Yannis Mallat, Chief Executive Officer of Ubisoft Montréal and Toronto, commented: “Putting aside our past differences, Patrice and I are above all interested in the creation of video games and the evolution of this medium of entertainment. This agreement is good news for everyone. Ubisoft’s creative teams are currently working on innovative projects that will mark our industry for years to come. This is precisely where we want to focus our energy, on our teams, to continue what we have been building in Quebec for nearly 20 years. As we have always said, Patrice is a talented designer and we wish him all the best in the development of his future endeavors.”
What this means for 1666 remains to be seen, especially since Désilets is currently working on another project. Still, I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief at the realization that whatever 1666 turns out to be, it will not have towers that need to be climbed to unlock portions of the map.
