Another producer for the Mario + Rabbids games has followed Davide Soliani in leaving Ubisoft.
Cristina Nava made this statement on Twitter:
“August 30th, the release day of #StarWarsOutlaws, also marked my last day at Ubisoft.
I have decided to leave Ubisoft Milan, where I spent 16 incredible years with incredible people, to write a new chapter in my story—a chapter I’m not ready to share yet. I thank you all.
I’ve been truly blessed to collaborate with amazingly talented colleagues. Together, we created oddball games like the Mario + Rabbids saga in partnership with Nintendo. When you say a dream come true!
I wish you all the best, my friends, in your future endeavors.
And thank you to all the players who have shown their love all these years.”
Of course, like Soliani, Nava made more than Mario + Rabbids for Ubisoft. As recorded on MobyGames, her associate producer credits includes several Just Dance games, the last two Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon games, and earlier Rabbids games.
But it’s clear that she was in a high position in Ubisoft for the Mario + Rabbids franchise. She moved up from being Associate Producer for the Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle DLCs, to being Senior Associate Producer for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope.
Soliani announced his exit from Ubisoft a little over a month ago. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope sold 3 million units, which certainly looks like a success on its own. In light of these two exits, it now seems that Ubisoft has quietly decided to close the door on this franchise.
While some fans may be saddened by what all these signs are pointing to, Nintendo would seemingly be picking up the slack from here on out. Remakes of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door have released on the Switch, and a new title, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, is coming this November 7, 2024.
It doesn’t look like this will hurt Ubisoft’s relationship with Nintendo either, as one of the most loyal third parties with the console maker. The Switch received Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Beyond Good & Evil: 20th Anniversary Edition this year, and it’s slated to get Just Dance 2025 before the year ends.
There was also the blockbuster rumor that Ubisoft plans to release Assassin’s Creed Shadows, alongside nearly every other Assassin’s Creed that hasn’t come to a Nintendo platform yet, to the Switch 2. But if you were a fan of the Mario + Rabbids franchise in particular, it looks like Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is going to be its swan song.
