Iterating on the same franchise, year after year, can be exhausting. Even if your team, like Ubisoft Montreal, happens to be working on a massive series such as Assassin’s Creed, the prospect of getting right back to the next neck-stabbing simulator as soon as the last one ships isn’t always appealing. Creative director Patrick Plourde understands that fact, and he believes that pitching Child of Light to his bosses might have saved more than a dozen talented folks from leaving the company.
After the conclusion of Far Cry 3, Plourde presented Child of Light to the Ubisoft bigwigs as a turn-based combat game in a fairy tale world inspired by classic Japanese role-playing games. That doesn’t exactly sound like a blockbuster many big publishers would fund these days, but Plourde explained to GameIndustry International that this was the style of project that was different enough to keep the team’s top talent interested. Without it, 10 to 15 employees might have left for greener pastures.
"It kind of rejuvenates the idea of Ubisoft Montreal," Plourde said. "Basically, depending on what interests you, there should be something for everybody to say, 'You know what? I can build a career here and stay here.'"
It took some professional clout to actually get the idea approved, and that’s exactly what Plourde has built up with Ubisoft over the years.
"It helps to have been within the loop of doing that with big productions, because you kind of know how to make those presentations," Plourde said. "You know how to make a pitch for a concept around what people in the room like or don't like. It's not just about, 'I like this game, it's a cool game, and I want to do that with my friend.' It's going to be really tough to get funding, or footing to start that conception within the studio. I was that guy also, before. You enter the company and go like, 'I have these great ideas! I want to make some games, you should just let me do it.' It's junior people talking."
Too much Assassin’s Creed kills creativity. Thankfully, this particular team won’t have to deal with that type of grind.
