Veteran designer and former creative director Clint Hocking, known for his work on Splinter Cell, Watch Dogs and Far Cry, told the FRVR podcast that steering a massive Ubisoft team feels like navigating a rain of flaming barrels from a construction site – a vivid nod to the classic Donkey Kong arcade challenge.
He contrasted his early days, when he could simply walk over to a colleague’s desk and tweak a light placement, with the reality of a 1,000‑person effort where a review meeting can host thirty directors, producers and project managers, often without the original level designer present. Iterations are pushed out on six‑week cycles, and by the time feedback returns the context may have shifted entirely, reinforcing the chaotic barrel metaphor.
Hocking’s departure from Ubisoft earlier this year came amid a top‑level reshuffle of the Assassin’s Creed brand, even as he was overseeing the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Hexe, now slated for a 2027 launch. Ubisoft has tapped franchise veteran Jean Guesdon, its Head of Content, to take over Hexe’s development, signaling a continuity plan despite the leadership change.
