Assassin’s Creed Red reportedly facing development issues due to abuse allegations

Ubisoft Forward 2022 was jam-packed with news from the publisher, like Rayman returning in Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope DLC and the reveal of what Assassin’s Creed Infinity actually is. Along with that came the announcement of several other Assassin’s Creed projects, including Codename Red, which has been pitched as the long-awaited Assassin’s Creed set in feudal Japan. While the announcement was met with excitement at the forefront, there are developments behind the scenes that also need to be brought up.

As reported by TheGamer, Ubisoft is having trouble staffing up the dev team on Assassin’s Creed Red. The project is being led by Jonathan Dumont, who previously served as creative director for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising. Dumont has also been accused of verbal and sexual abuse, which is an understandable reason for not wanting to work under him.

A Better Ubisoft, a collective of about 1,000 current and former staffers within the publisher’s ranks, has taken issue with Dumont as a result of these allegations. “Dumont has been the reason [for] multiple of my colleagues leaving,” an anonymous member of the group told TheGamer. “His outbursts have created a climate of fear known for years in the studio and failed to be acted on for a long time.” It certainly sounds like the sort of nightmare boss that any employee would want to avoid. Considering Assassin’s Creed Red is still in the codename stage, Ubisoft seems to have plenty of time to deal with the problem now, before the project moves far along. Though considering A Better Ubisoft has had to renew its demands in the past, we can’t say for sure if any investigation or disciplinary action will be taken here.

Beyond Codename Red, Ubisoft Forward was also home to the official reveal of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, complete with a flashy CGI trailer. Mirage is due sometime in 2023, and it’s headed to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Preorders are open now.