Ubisoft said Manceau’s departure was for “personal reasons” and didn’t say if he would be replaced.
Ubisoft’s chief creative officer is stepping down. Igor Manceau will be stepping down from his position, which he has held for just over a year, for “personal reasons”. It is unclear whether Manceau will be replaced.
The news comes via an email message that Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot sent to employees today and received from Kotaku.
“For personal reasons, Igor has expressed his desire to retire from Ubisoft and following this decision we would like to update you on how we are approaching this transformation,” Guillemot wrote. “From now until his departure at the end of November, Igor will be dedicated to overseeing the development of the structure into specific poles organized by key segments for Ubisoft so that it can be better adapted to the diversity of our portfolio and the unique needs of each project. “
The email goes on to explain that Manceau’s departure will fit into Ubisoft’s ongoing reorganization plans, which aim to “simplify” the complex approval process and give the various studios more autonomy and flexibility. As Kotaku notes, former developers have blamed Ubisoft’s unusual approval process – which requires games to get the green light at various stages of production – for delaying development and limiting creativity.
The email makes no mention of Manceau’s replacement, nor does it offer any additional explanation for his departure.
“Over the past 24 years, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with talented and inspiring teams around the world,” Manceau said in a statement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing adventure. I’m confident that Ubisoft has the potential to continue to surprise and delight gamers for years to come.”
Manceau took over the role a few months after the departure of his predecessor, Serge Hascoët, who left Ubisoft in July 2020 following an internal investigation into sexual harassment and abuse. Hascoët has been accused by the French magazine Liberation of harassing female employees and even drugging them without their knowledge.
Since Ubisoft’s toxic workplace scandal broke in the summer of 2020, Ubisoft has announced sweeping reforms that include mandatory anti-harassment training and a five-year plan to improve “racial, ethnic and cultural diversity”. However, staffers have described these changes as largely “shallow,” with some saying the training only helps offenders stay hidden.