Assassin’s Creed Valhalla creative director Ashraf Ismail has revealed he’s stepping away from the game. His decision came after allegations of him being sexually involved with a fan while covering up his marriage.
Ismail announced his departure on Twitter earlier today. In a tweet, he said, “I am stepping down from my beloved project to properly deal with the personal issues in my life. The lives of my family and my own are shattered. I am deeply sorry to everyone hurt in this.” Following the reveal, he said members of the Valhalla team “do not deserve to be associated with this.” The messages were live for a short while, but Ismail has since nuked his Twitter account.
The claims against Ismail became public on June 21. Twitter user and livestreamer Matronedea posted a text conversation in which she asked Ismail if he was married after spotting him wearing a wedding ring during an interview. “I put it on so that my parents don’t have to answer to their community why their eldest son is not married,” Ismail jokingly explained. They were both in a relationship for a year before the conversation.
This person is married. When he starts a relationship with you, know he's married. This is why he doesn't want to talk on the phone or facetime or have things sent to his home. His marriage has been confirmed by 3 people. I was with him for a year on and off before finding out. pic.twitter.com/eomqLCXZTu
— ✨dani porter bridges✨ (@matronedea) June 21, 2020
One of many
Since the weekend, we saw a slew of allegations of harassment and sexual abuse within the livestreaming and gaming industry — from Twitch to developers and game journalists. Ismail was only one of many. Chris Avellone, writer on games like Dying Light 2 and The Waylanders, was also among those accused of sexual harassment, including groping. The developer of Dying Light 2, Techland, has since parted ways with Avellone.
Ubisoft issued a statement not long after Ismail made his announcement. “Ashraf Ismail is stepping down from the project to take a leave of absence,” a spokesperson told IGN. “The development team is committed to delivering a great game in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.”
