[VGC] Child of Light creator Patrick Plourde has left Ubisoft after 19 years

[Angie]

Veteran Ubisoft developer Patrick Plourde has left the company after almost 20 years.

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Plourde, who was creative director of Child of Light, Watch Dogs 2 and Far Cry 3, plans to work as part of an independent consulting agency and continue to work with Ubisoft outside of its traditional corporate structure, he said.

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"Most of my time will be working with Ubisoft, but now I'll have a position outside a traditional structure (with mandate cross department) and I will be able to dabble with other fields outside gaming that I had eyes on for a while without having to ask my employer's permission," Plourde told Axios.

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More at VGC https://www.videogameschronicle.com...rick-plourde-has-left-ubisoft-after-19-years/

EDIT: Thank you dex3108 for sharing this

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[vixolus]

Same same, but different.

 

[Det]

"I like my colleagues but don't like working under management"

 

[Tora]

Watch Dogs 2 and Far Cry 3...Both the pinnacles of their respective franchises

My confidence in Ubisoft remains strong

 

[purseowner]

So sad to see
Oh how can this be

We'll never get a sequel
Child of Light has no equal

 

[JadedGhost]

So sad to see
Oh how can this be

We'll never get a sequel
Child of Light has no equal

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It's depressing that we shall never get a sequel. Really loved that game and just ubiart games in general. Valiant hearts was also great, as was Rayman.

 

[fakeronjan]

It's depressing that we shall never get a sequel. Really loved that game and just ubiart games in general. Valiant hearts was also great, as was Rayman.

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Are you me? I miss games like those.

 

[TechnicPuppet]

So sad to see
Oh how can this be

We'll never get a sequel
Child of Light has no equal

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Too soon

 

[mugurumakensei]

Sounds like he wants to be able to spend some of the time on tv shows or movies but still wants to make games at Ubisoft

 

[FinFunnels]

I haven't played Watch Dogs or Far Cry, but Child of Light was an excellent game.

Easily one of my favorites from the earlier years of the PS4.

 

[Messofanego]

19 years is incredibly long for this industry.

 

[Ryuelli]

I really wish we would have seen more games from Ubisoft under that "UbiArt" umbrella. Valiant Hearts and Child of Light were both really, really good. VH was even my GOTY that year.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Those were three fantastic games and one of them literally became the template for modern open world games, to the point that it can be described as a genre in and of itself.

 

[Angie]

Those were three fantastic games and one of them literally became the template for modern open world games, to the point that it can be described as a genre in and of itself.

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Watch Dogs 2 doesn't get enough love.
It's a really good game, with a great protagonist

 

[Crossing Eden]

Watch Dogs 2 doesn't get enough love.
It's a really good game, with a great protagonist

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True, true. TFW everyone assumed the group would be super tryhard and edgy but they ended up being super endearing with the game managing to have the type of smartly written satire GTA pretends to have, shocker you can apparently do that without explicitly punching down on the marginalized.

 

[Aurora]

Buy my NFTs so Ubisoft will make a sequel

 

[Crossing Eden]

Buy my NFTs so Ubisoft will make a sequel

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Oh my god.

 

[ashtaar]

Well happy for him those 3 games were fantastic
It's a shame they screwed up wd legions and we never got a sequel to child of light (despite the explicit tease!) ah well, a sequel with someone who actually knew how to rhyme would have been incredible

 

[ILikeFeet]

Buy my NFTs so Ubisoft will make a sequel

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---

I have to wonder, with Ubiart dead, what would the sequel have been made on. Unity?

 

[Virtua Sanus]

Bit weird when Bloodstained just got that Child of Light update. Wish him well though, 19 years is incredibly long in this industry.

 

[Crossing Eden]

---

I have to wonder, with Ubiart dead, what would the sequel have been made on. Unity?

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Ubiart framework isn't dead. They've released a game made with it every year since it's first title.

Wikiwand - UbiArt Framework

The UbiArt Framework is a 2.5D video game engine developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. Its function is to organize 2D animated vector graphics into a playable video game without extensive coding.

www.wikiwand.com

 

[ILikeFeet]

Ubiart framework isn't dead. They've released a game made with it every year since it's first title.

Wikiwand - UbiArt Framework

The UbiArt Framework is a 2.5D video game engine developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. Its function is to organize 2D animated vector graphics into a playable video game without extensive coding.

www.wikiwand.com

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the fuck? just dance is on ubiart? now that's a shocker

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Ubiart framework isn't dead. They've released a game made with it every year since it's first title.

Wikiwand - UbiArt Framework

The UbiArt Framework is a 2.5D video game engine developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. Its function is to organize 2D animated vector graphics into a playable video game without extensive coding.

www.wikiwand.com

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kind of think people asking for ubiart games weren't really looking for a bunch of just dance games lol

 

[dex3108]

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[Crossing Eden]

the fuck? just dance is on ubiart? now that's a shocker

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kind of think people asking for ubiart games weren't really looking for a bunch of just dance games lol

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Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

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That's fucked.

 

[ILikeFeet]

kind of think people asking for ubiart games weren't really looking for a bunch of just dance games lol

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given how long Just Dance has been around, I doubt anyone would have noticed the change. all this time, I thought it was on the same tools as its always been on

 

[Tycho Kepler]

He was just holding on until the Bloodstained crossover

 

[mugurumakensei]

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

Click to shrink...

Ah looks like a way to let him go without letting him go

 

[inpHilltr8r]

dude just want an alternative reporting structure where he can't get called on his shit

 

[Sacul64]

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

Click to shrink...

Was going to ask if this was one of the problem people thanks.

 

[criteriondog]

We're never getting a sequel fml

 

[Iucidium]

Before reading the thread, my assumption was "did he do dodgy stuff?"
dex3108 confirmed my assumption.
Crikey

 

[diablogg]

Guy might be a shitlord, but man Child of Light was one of the last Ubisoft games I really liked (I don't count Stick of Truth)

 

[panda-zebra]

"I like my colleagues but don't like working under management"

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Thought the same at first, but rest of the thread sugests it's more "I've been let go for being a POS but I still keep my job 'cause Yves got my back"

 

[Farlander]

Sort of sad to see that all the news reporting this conveniently forget that the dude is sort of a shithead and a bully. I guess the 'rebranding' worked.

But nevertheless, even though I personally had only one interaction with Plourde in my lifetime myself, I don't think I have heard anyone say anything nice about him. And when he became one of Editorial VPs there was a lot of internal strife.

 

[FallenGrace]

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

Click to shrink...

Thereitis.gif

 

[Patitoloco]

Watch Dogs 2 doesn't get enough love.
It's a really good game, with a great protagonist

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Hell yeah. Watch Dogs 2 might be one of my favorite Ubisoft games ever, if not their best of the PS4 gen IMO

 

[JJD]

Child of light was great and the soundtrack was fucking amazing. I wish him the best.

 

[Marco_Tovarich]

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

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OP, this should be added to your post.

 

[Patsy]

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in July that "important progress" has been made since the misconduct allegations first came to light, but employees dismissed that claim in an open letter, saying that they continue to wait for "real, fundamental change." A Better Ubisoft also criticized the appointment of Igor Manceau to the position of chief creative officer, saying that "the creative team at Ubisoft is composed of white people who are of uniform cultural backgrounds," including Serge Hascoët's former assistant, and Patrick Plourde, who remains vice president of editorial "despite the multiple misconduct reports filed against him."

Ubisoft workers demand swifter action from leadership after Activision concedes to employee demands

A Better Ubisoft congratulated Activision employees for winning concessions, and asked why its own company can't do the same.

www.pcgamer.com

Click to shrink...

Thank you for this, hate how fast this shit got sweeped under a rug.

 

[Foffy]

Can't leave fast enough if the allegations against him are legitimate.

 

[Oneself]

Still working with his friends but they won't be responsible for his future misconduct.

 

[Yuuber]

I didn't know the guy was an abusive idiot. Child of Light is an amazing game, though.

 

[N64Controller]

Translating the image post for those who don't speak French (the actual Tweet is a shorter version of that that you can translate via your browser):

A few days ago, Patrick Plourde announced he was leaving Ubisoft.

We will not miss his toxic management style or his homophobic, racist and sexist remarks.

He behavior led to various employees giving their notice while he was in charge of the (poorly named) "Fun House".

After multiple reports to HR, Mr. Plourde was forced to the ever so hard punishment of having to write a caricature of an "apology letter", all the while he was being promoted VP of Editorial.

In 2020, a lot of public accusations came out:

(these you can read they're in english)

And yet, we had to endure his presence for 2 more years.

In his goodbye message, Mr. Plourde indicates that he will keep working with Ubisoft, but as a consultant.

To this we say: NO THANKS!

 

[Ashlette]

Child of light was great and the soundtrack was fucking amazing. I wish him the best.

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Well well well, this post aged like milk.

 

[Cloud-Hidden]

Well well well, this post aged like milk.

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He posted before the OP was edited. Let's not do this. No one is all-knowing, and we can't all keep track of all the shit-heads in the industry who might be tied to our favorite games.

 

[Soap]

Ubisoft is just a complete dumpster fire. Is there anyone in their senior creative staff that hasn't had misconduct allegations filed against them?

Given the state of multiple franchises, the company as a whole and BFT's the company is basically dead to me.

 

[platocplx]

Any one upper mgmt leaving at Ubi has to get the side eye every time. Not surprised this was yet another person allowed to gracefully bow out there