Don’t expect 1666 anytime soon, now that Patrice Desilets has been booted out of Ubisoft.
Before he was unceremoniously ejected from the company, Ubisoft’s Patrice Desilets was working on a mysterious project by the name of 1666. Now that Desilets has been removed from the company, quite literally if you believe his account of his firing, 1666 has been “suspended for an undisclosed period of time.”
So, why suspend the game rather than cancel it outright? Kotaku columnist Superannuation, believes that Ubisoft might be pulling some legal shenanigans to maintain control of the IP. Apparently, Desilets’ contract specifies that, should 1666 be canceled, the IP rights revert back to him. By suspending the game instead of canceling it, Ubisoft retains the rights. Desilets is apparently pursuing legal options in order to take the IP back.
Desilets doesn’t have the best relationship with his former employer. Despite designing the company’s most successful IP, Assassin’s Creed, Desilets jumped ship to THQ’s Montreal Studio back in 2010. It was there that he began work on 1666. Unfortunately, THQ quite famously went tits up earlier this year, and its Montreal studio was acquired by, you guessed it, Ubisoft. The reunion didn’t last long. After just three months at Ubisoft, Desilets left again, this time under less pleasant circumstances.
“Unfortunately, since the acquisition, the good faith discussions between Patrice and Ubisoft aimed at aligning Patrice’s and the studio’s visions have been inconclusive,” said Ubisoft at the time. “As a result, Patrice has left the studio. Our priorities remain with the teams already hard at work on projects in development. They are at the root of Ubisoft Montréal’s past and future successes.”
Desilets, however, spoke of a less peaceable breakup.
Contrary to any statements made earlier today, this morning I was terminated by Ubisoft. I was notified of this termination in person, handed a termination notice and was unceremoniously escorted out of the building by two guards without being able to say goodbye to my team or collect my personal belongings.
This was not my decision.
Ubisoft’s actions are baseless and without merit. I intend to fight Ubisoft vigorously for my rights, for my team and for my game.
Source: Kotaku
