US game publisher THQ (Ultimate Fighting Championship, World Wrestling Entertainment) is bringing on local Canadian talent as it looks to fill 400-some jobs over the next few years and develop new IP.

Developer Patrice Desilets will be joining the THQ family next summer, where he’ll be taking on the task of hiring a new team to forge original properties.

Desilets served as creative director on the Assassin’s Creed franchise and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, both Ubisoft IPs.

The gameco announced last December that it would open a studio in Montreal, drawn to the city by its tax credits as well as talent pool to bolster its internal creative development.

“Patrice brings a passion for games rich with action-packed sequences, gripping characters and cinematic flair,” said Danny Bilson, THQ EVP of core games in a statement.

Patrice Désilets is repped by Creative Artists Agency.