Ubisoft: 'Too soon to say' if Desilets is returning to Ubisoft after THQ Montreal sale

The fate of Patrice Desilets, the acclaimed game designer who created the Assassin's Creed franchise before leaving Ubisoft to join THQ Montreal in 2011, is still up in the air after the studio was acquired wholesale by Ubisoft in today's THQ fire sale.

When questioned whether Desilets would return to Ubisoft — a company which filed a quickly overturned injunction against THQ after it hired Desilets, citing a non-compete provision — a representative for the publisher explained that the matter is still unsettled.

"It's too soon to say for certain, but we are very excited about THQ Montreal becoming part Ubisoft," the Ubisoft representative said. "In the coming weeks we'll be looking at how to offer an organizational structure that provides continuity for the creative teams involved. Unannounced projects from THQ Montreal are included as part of the acquisition."

The two projects in question, as revealed by the results of the auction, are 1666 — the working title for the project helmed by Desilets — and another project codenamed Underdog.

The injunction filed against THQ against Ubisoft was ultimately struck down by the Quebec Court of Appeals, which found that the hiring of Desilets didn't constitute "unfair competition." Both THQ and Desilets were protected by rights "based on the principle of liberty of commerce and trade," according to the court's response.

We reached out to Desilets for a comment on THQ Montreal's acquisition by his former employer.