Ubisoft’s bad news streak continues. The company has reportedly cancelled Project League, a cooperative multiplayer Assassin’s Creed game that was being developed by Ubisoft Annecy. According to French gaming outlet Origami, leadership at Ubisoft Annecy was informed just last week that the project was being shut down as part of the ongoing corporate restructuring. For fans who have been begging for multiplayer to return to the franchise, this feels like a gut punch.
What Was Project League?
Project League was designed as a four-player cooperative experience that would allow assassins to team up and complete scripted missions together. The game was originally conceived as downloadable content for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the upcoming title set in feudal Japan. The DLC would have featured four assassins joining forces to take on missions in the same Japanese setting, ultimately concluding the story that was supposed to be told through Shadows’ now-cancelled Season Pass.
But Project League evolved into something bigger than just DLC. The project became fairly ambitious in scope, with Ubisoft Annecy planning to use it as a baseline for future multiplayer features throughout the entire Assassin’s Creed series. The goal was to bring back the hybrid solo and multiplayer playstyle that existed in beloved entries like Assassin’s Creed Unity and Black Flag. Both of those games had memorable multiplayer modes that added replay value and a completely different flavor to the franchise.
The Studio Behind AC’s Best Multiplayer
Ubisoft Annecy was the perfect studio for this job. They were responsible for creating the multiplayer modes in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Unity, and Black Flag. These weren’t just tacked-on features. The multiplayer in these games offered unique cat-and-mouse gameplay where players had to blend into crowds, identify targets, and execute assassinations while avoiding detection. It was tense, strategic, and nothing like your typical run-and-gun multiplayer shooter.
Having Annecy at the helm meant Project League would have been built by developers who truly understood what made Assassin’s Creed multiplayer special. The studio had the experience and the creative vision to pull off something memorable. That makes the cancellation even more frustrating.
Why Did Ubisoft Cancel It?
The cancellation comes down to money and corporate restructuring. Ubisoft is in the middle of a massive overhaul that includes layoffs, studio closures, and project cancellations. In January, the company announced it was scrapping six games, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake. Project League wasn’t part of that initial wave of cancellations, but it got axed shortly after.
According to reports, Vantage Studios, the subsidiary within Ubisoft that oversees three of the company’s creative houses, deemed Project League too expensive to continue. With Ubisoft cutting costs aggressively and trying to reduce its workforce by March 2026, ambitious projects like this became easy targets. The company is prioritizing cheaper, faster releases over risky creative endeavors.
However, there’s a small silver lining. A handful of employees from Ubisoft Annecy have been selected to transfer the technical advancements they made on Project League back into Ubisoft’s proprietary Anvil engine. The goal is to eventually make it easier and less expensive to add replayable multiplayer modes to future Assassin’s Creed titles. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen, but at least the work done on Project League won’t be completely wasted.
What Happens to the Annecy Team?
The cancellation leaves more than a quarter of the 270 employees at Ubisoft Annecy without a project. That’s roughly 70 people sitting idle with no clear assignment, which in the current climate at Ubisoft, is a terrifying position to be in. Employees are understandably anxious that layoffs are coming next. Ubisoft has already cut over 2,000 jobs in the past two years, and rumors suggest another 2,000 could be on the chopping block soon.
The situation at Annecy mirrors what happened at Ubisoft Halifax, where 70 developers were recently laid off following project cancellations. With no confirmed future projects for the Annecy team, the fear is that history will repeat itself. Employees are reportedly feeling anger and despair, emotions that are running high across the entire company right now.
Fans Are Not Happy
The Reddit gaming community erupted when news of the cancellation broke. Fans pointed out the irony of Ubisoft cancelling a four-player cooperative Assassin’s Creed game while continuing to push forward with a rumored Fall Guys-style party game set in the Assassin’s Creed universe. That project, which has been described by some internal sources as unpopular among developers, is apparently still moving ahead despite widespread skepticism.
One Reddit user summed up the frustration perfectly, writing that they’re not sure what projects will escape cancellation at this point. Others noted that Ubisoft seems to be making all the wrong decisions, prioritizing cheap gimmicks over the kinds of games fans actually want. The fact that Project League would have brought back beloved multiplayer features from Unity and Black Flag makes its cancellation sting even more.
Many fans have been asking for multiplayer to return to Assassin’s Creed for years. The franchise has been strictly single-player focused since Syndicate in 2015. Project League was the first real indication that Ubisoft was listening to those requests. Now, those hopes have been crushed.
The Bigger Picture at Ubisoft
Project League is just the latest casualty in what’s shaping up to be one of the most chaotic periods in Ubisoft’s history. The company is dealing with disappointing game launches, declining sales, plummeting stock prices, and a workforce that’s losing trust in leadership. An internal town hall meeting held on February 4, 2026, was supposed to calm employee concerns but ended up making things worse. Management gave vague answers about layoffs and refused to budge on a controversial five-day return-to-office mandate.
Five French unions have called for a three-day work stoppage from February 10 to 12 and are demanding that CEO Yves Guillemot resign. A 13-year Assassin’s Creed veteran was recently fired after publicly criticizing the return-to-office policy, which has only fueled more anger among employees. Insider reports suggest that Ubisoft is about to experience a massive exodus of talent, with skilled developers already looking for new jobs.
The company has also created five new creative houses as part of its restructuring, but CFO Frederik Duguet stated that any of these houses could be sold off if they underperform. That level of uncertainty makes it hard for teams to plan long-term projects or feel secure in their positions. It’s a toxic environment that’s driving away the very people Ubisoft needs to turn things around.
Could Multiplayer Still Return?
The technical work done on Project League isn’t completely lost. Ubisoft Annecy is integrating some of the advancements into the Anvil engine, which could theoretically make it easier to add multiplayer modes to future Assassin’s Creed games. But there’s no guarantee this will happen. Ubisoft’s focus right now is on cutting costs and releasing games as quickly as possible, which doesn’t leave much room for experimentation.
The rumored Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remake could potentially include multiplayer features, especially since the original game had one of the best multiplayer modes in the series. However, with Project League cancelled and Ubisoft in survival mode, it’s hard to be optimistic. If multiplayer does return, it will likely be a watered-down version of what Project League was supposed to be.
Fans will have to wait and see what Ubisoft decides to do next. Right now, the company seems more interested in damage control than taking creative risks. That’s bad news for anyone hoping to see the franchise evolve in exciting new directions.
FAQs
What was Assassin’s Creed Project League?
Project League was a four-player cooperative multiplayer Assassin’s Creed game being developed by Ubisoft Annecy. It was originally planned as DLC for Assassin’s Creed Shadows and would have been set in feudal Japan, allowing players to team up for scripted assassination missions.
Why did Ubisoft cancel Project League?
The cancellation was part of Ubisoft’s ongoing corporate restructuring and cost-cutting measures. Vantage Studios, which oversees several of Ubisoft’s creative houses, reportedly deemed the project too expensive to continue during a period of aggressive budget reductions and layoffs.
Which studio was developing Project League?
Ubisoft Annecy, the studio behind the multiplayer modes in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Unity, and Black Flag, was leading development on Project League. The studio has extensive experience creating engaging multiplayer experiences for the franchise.
What happens to the developers who worked on Project League?
More than a quarter of Ubisoft Annecy’s 270 employees are now without a project following the cancellation. While a handful have been selected to transfer technical work into Ubisoft’s Anvil engine, many workers are anxious about potential layoffs given the company’s current situation.
Will Assassin’s Creed ever get multiplayer again?
It’s uncertain. Some technical advancements from Project League are being integrated into Ubisoft’s Anvil engine to potentially make future multiplayer modes easier and cheaper to develop. However, there are no confirmed plans for multiplayer in upcoming Assassin’s Creed titles.
When did Assassin’s Creed last have multiplayer?
The last Assassin’s Creed game with multiplayer was Assassin’s Creed Unity in 2014, which featured four-player cooperative missions. Since Assassin’s Creed Syndicate in 2015, the franchise has been strictly single-player focused.
What other projects has Ubisoft cancelled recently?
In January 2026, Ubisoft announced the cancellation of six games, including the highly anticipated Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake. The company has also shut down XDefiant and laid off hundreds of employees at studios like Ubisoft Halifax as part of its restructuring efforts.
Conclusion
The cancellation of Assassin’s Creed Project League is a painful reminder of how far Ubisoft has fallen. This was a project that fans actually wanted, being developed by a studio with a proven track record of creating memorable multiplayer experiences. Instead of investing in creative, ambitious ideas, Ubisoft is slashing budgets and cancelling projects left and right. The decision leaves over 70 employees at Ubisoft Annecy in limbo, adds to the growing list of frustrated fans, and raises serious questions about the company’s future. If Ubisoft wants to rebuild trust with both its workforce and its audience, it needs to start making smarter decisions. Right now, it’s doing the exact opposite.