Benoit Richer has left Ubisoft to co-found Servo Games, a new independent studio based in Quebec.
Richer announced the move on LinkedIn, where he also confirmed his new role as game director at the studio.
He was previously game director of the upcoming Assassin’s Creed title, Codename Hexe.
Richer co-founded Servo Games with industry veterans Luc Tremblay (president, creative director, and director of technology), Alex Drouin (animation director), and Dany Marcoux (art director).
He began his career at Ubisoft Montréal as a level designer in 2001, then worked at Electronic Arts. After six years at WB Games Montréal, he returned to Ubisoft Montréal as a game director, where he led work on Codename Hexe.
Richer is the third major team member to leave the Codename Hexe project.
In October, former franchise lead Marc-Alexis Côté left the project. He later filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft, alleging “constructive dismissal” after the Assassin’s Creed brand was transferred to Tencent-backed Vantage Studios.
Codename Hexe’s creative director, Clint Hocking, left Ubisoft in February following the company’s restructuring plan.
Jean Guesdon, head of content for the Assassin’s Creed brand, was appointed as the new creative director for the project.
Codename Hexe was announced in 2022. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot recently stated that the game is one of several being developed at Vantage Studios, alongside the Far Cry franchise.
