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13/11/21                                   By Colum Blackett                                     Edited by Ashlea Buckley

In a surprise tweet that took Twitter by storm, fan favourite Assassin's Creed script writer Darby McDevitt has announced his return to Ubisoft after an eight month long hiatus.

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"Yes, I have returned to Ubisoft! As I pondered my career over the past year, I focused on my desire to explore new ideas and unknown frontiers. Much to my delight, this is reflected in my return to Ubisoft to work on AC. I’m excited to continue my journey. Stay tuned!”

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Back in March 202, McDevitt announced his departure from the company on Twitter, in search of new adventures and opportunities. In a final Tweet, he thanked all of the fans & content creators that have supported & expanded on his work over the years. The news was met with disbelief, as one of the longest serving and most loved developers working on the franchise would no longer be at the helm. Over a 12 year+ period, he has worked on many games and projects, including Revelations, Black Flag, Embers and Bloodlines. Most recently serving as the Narrative Director on Assassin's Creed Valhalla, McDevitt made it his mission to tie up loose narrative threads. His efforts were recognised, as the game featured many callbacks and clever links to previous games, alongside helping to restore the franchise's fading identity.

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The news was met with online applause, as fans of the franchise revelled in the knowledge that a true loremaster and mentor had returned. Going forward, it is hoped that McDevitt and the narrative teams at Ubisoft can shape new experiences to honour the legacy of the franchise, and restore the elements that feel so distant in recent games.​ Within the community, Darby is known for his intriguing and sometimes cryptic tweets, making fans dig beneath the surface to discover the truth. He represents the best that the Assassin's Creed series can be, and we here at TOWCB are thrilled by the news, especially as the upcoming 'Assassin's Creed Infinity' project brings with it such uncertainty, as the series moves towards a live service. 

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Little is known about the upcoming project, but Ubisoft recently made it clear that the project is being led by a new cross-studio, collaborative structure, directed by Marc-Alexis Côté, who will serve as executive producer of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Also joining the project is Étienne Allonier, brand director for Assassin’s Creed for the last 10 years, who together with senior producer Julien Laferrière, Creative Directors Jonathan Dumont and Clint Hocking, will change the way the Assassin's Creed series evolves.

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In the past, studios have passed the baton on to the next, allowing a time window for them to begin work on the next. With the new structure, One group within Ubisoft, made up of multiple teams, will work on Assassin's Creed coherently. With Darby McDevitt back, it's a sigh of relief for many fans to see that the narrative is once again being cared for by safe hands.

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Stay tuned for further updates.