Former Ubisoft Director Ashraf Ismail Joins Tencent

Ashraf Ismail, previously the creative director of Assassin's Creed at Ubisoft Montreal, has found a new role at Tencent after being let go due to allegations of misconduct. According to Axios, Ismail is now working as a consulting creative director for TiMi Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent. The Chinese gaming giant has expressed its support for Ismail, stating that he has consistently demonstrated a professional attitude and an eagerness to learn and grow both as a team member and as an individual. A spokesperson for TiMi Studios said, 'We strive to maintain a safe and respectful work environment for all our employees and will continue to do so as our team expands.' Tencent established a studio in Montreal in July 2021 and hired several former Ubisoft employees who had worked with Ismail on previous Assassin's Creed titles. Sources indicate that Ismail has been involved with the studio since its inception. Ismail has not commented on his new role and has not updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect his current position. His departure from Ubisoft Montreal in August 2020 followed a wave of allegations regarding toxic culture and abuse within the company. At the time, Ismail was the creative director of Assassin's Creed Valhalla but left the project in June 2020 amid accusations of infidelity and abuse of power. Following an external investigation, Ubisoft terminated Ismail's employment. The company has since been working to rebuild its reputation and improve its workplace culture, with several high-profile executives either being let go or choosing to step down.