The Ubisoft logo next to a shot of Mario + Rabbids creator Davide Soliani

Mario + Rabbids Creator Davide Soliani Leaves Ubisoft After 25 Years

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Published: July 24, 2024 8:57 AM

Mario + Rabbids creator Davide Soliani has left Ubisoft after 25 years with the studio in order to "embark on a new adventure".

Speaking on X (formerly Twitter) earlier today, Soliani shared a shot of the famous moment of him crying during E3 2017 when Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was first announced.

Here's what he had to say about his tenure with Ubisoft and his plans for the future.

Hi all folks. After 25 years, 11 of which beautifully spent working with Nintendo on Mario+Rabbids along the company of our incredible community of players, I have decided to leave Ubisoft to embark on a new adventure. I can't say more now. Thanks a lot for everything, truly.

Mario, Rabbid Peach, and Rabbid Luigi about to fight a Chain Chomp in Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which was directed by ex-Ubisoft staffer Davide Soliani
Davide Soliani is perhaps best-known for his work on Mario + Rabbids.

The replies to Soliani's post include well-wishes from the likes of Ubisoft itself, as well as gaming trivia platform DidYouKnowGaming and Donkey Kong Country composer David Wise

Soliani served as the creative director on both 2017's Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle and its excellent sequel, 2022's Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, but that's not all he did while at Ubisoft, of course.

His credits also include work as a creative director on Just Dance, as well as level design for 2005's GameCube action-strategy game Battalion Wars and even a credit on influential action-adventure game Beyond Good & Evil.

It's safe to say he's one of Ubisoft's lifers, so his decision to leave the company will probably be a blow for many at the studio, although whether it's a surprise or not is another question.

Jade rushing to rescue Pey'j from a monster in Beyond Good & Evil
Davide Soliani has credits on lots of Ubisoft games, including Beyond Good & Evil.

Although he's done a lot of work with Ubisoft behind the scenes, he's perhaps best known for a viral moment in 2017 when he cried during the unveiling of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle.

As Shigeru Miyamoto took to the stage to introduce the game, cameras cut to Soliani, who was weeping, most likely out of a mixture of happiness and relief that his game was finally out there. Well, Davide, you needn't worry; they're both great games, and your legacy is secure.

We'll have to wait and see what Davide Soliani does next. Stay tuned for more.

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More Info About This Game
Learn More About Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Publisher
Ubisoft
Platforms
Nintendo Switch
Release Date
August 29, 2017 (Calendar)
Genre
Tactical RPG
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