Ubisoft announced in a blog post today that Ubisoft Quebec will be the lead studio on “a future Assassin’s Creed.” Previous entries in the popular franchise were typically handled by the publisher’s Montreal studio, with other studios providing assistance, so this is certainly an interesting alteration.
Formed in 2005, Ubisoft Quebec got its start developing low-profile titles such as Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Critical Hour and Open Season. However, the studio has since become a major factor in the Assassin’s Creed development machine. Since the release of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood in 2010, the studio has provided assistance on each major iteration.
Managing Director Nicolas Rioux broke down the studio’s involvement in the series:
“Since 2010, our understanding of the franchise has increased each year. We were involved in Brotherhood. We were involved in Revelations. We were involved in Assassin’s Creed III. With AC III we were working on the biggest DLC for the franchise – The Tyranny of King Washington. After that we were also involved with Freedom Cry. We have the confidence of the brand team and also from Ubisoft to take leadership of an upcoming Assassin’s Creed title. The team is ready for the next big step.”
Ubisoft is planning significant additions to its Quebec studio, as more staff are expected to be hired and construction of a new facility in the province’s St-Roch district is expected to begin. The company will also be contributing $4 million of a $28 million investment in order to create the new workspace, which will feature three floors dedicated to triple-A game development. Quebec City, itself, will contribute $500,000 in additional financial support towards the project.
The next entry in the series, Assassin’s Creed Unity, will be released on October 28 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Ubisoft Montreal is its lead developer, but supporting work is being handled by Ubisoft Quebec.
