Desilets: "The future is digital, and there's nothing you can do about it"

There's no escaping a digital future for the game industry, according to Assassin's Creed creator Patrice Desilets. During a Gamelab conference session in Barcelona, Spain, attended by GamesIndustry International, Desilets said AAA games are here to stay, though the way they are distributed will change.

"Right now we are at a crossroads in our industry," Desilets said. "But I don't believe the AAA blockbuster will die. Maybe the way it is distributed will change, but it won't die."

"Yeah, games come on disc, and I get it guys you were really pissed off," he added, presumably referencing backlash to the Xbox One's since-reversed policies. "But, deep down, nobody cares about not having CDs any more. The future is digital, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Deep down, nobody cares about not having CDs any more. The future is digital, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Desilets also called for greater diversity in big-budget games going forward, saying developers should make games "with a cultural point of view" instead of "space marines and shooters."

"I believe we need a revolution in subject matter," Desilets said. "It has been four E3s that I've gone to, and it's always the same thing. I get it: we all like space marines and shooters, but come on, we need to talk about something else."

"Make games with a cultural point of view. We did a game, somehow, about the Muslim faith. We did a game about the Italian renaissance. [Ubisoft] did a game about the American Revolution. Having a cultural point of view will become more and more important," he added. "There is something about where I come from in the game I was making [1666: Amsterdam]. I think that will change the entire industry."

Desilets said the game industry is still in its infancy and bemoaned how some games favor blowing things up over interaction between human beings. He explained that the game he was working on, 1666: Amsterdam, was "all about that."

Desilets also gave an update on his current lawsuit against Ubisoft for control of 1666: Amsterdam, which he launched after he was fired last month.

"I'm fighting for it, and that's all I can say for now," Desilets said. "It's all those years of experience put together. I'm sorry guys, it was amazing. And it still is amazing, and I hope to get it back and finish it for you--and for me."