Ubisoft is closing two studios, Ubisoft Winnipeg and Ubisoft Belgrade, leading to approximately 380 layoffs as part of a broader restructuring effort. This information was first reported by Insider Gaming and was later confirmed by other sources including Game Developer and VGC.
Ubisoft Winnipeg primarily served as a support and technology studio, assisting with the development of the company’s proprietary Anvil and Snowdrop engines. Ubisoft Belgrade co-developed several titles, including Ghost Recon Wildlands, The Crew 2, and Skull and Bones.
As a result of the restructuring, Ubisoft Barcelona will only focus on projects related to Rainbow Six. The company’s Global Publishing team will also be impacted by these layoffs. Employees were informed about the closures during an internal meeting held on Wednesday.
Ubisoft Montreal, a major studio, will see job losses affecting the development teams for Rainbow Six Siege and Rainbow Six Siege Mobile. This marks the third round of layoffs at Ubisoft this year.
In March 2023, more than 100 staff members were laid off at Red Storm Entertainment, which is now focused on supporting Ubisoft’s technical operations rather than developing its own games. Earlier in the year, Ubisoft also closed its studios in Halifax and Stockholm while reducing staff at Ubisoft Abu Dhabi, Redlynx, and Massive Entertainment.
In October 2022, Ubisoft announced an investment of €1.16 billion from Tencent, which facilitated the creation of Vantage Studios, aimed at developing major franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Tencent holds a 25% stake in Vantage Studios, while creative and leadership responsibilities are managed by Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot, the son of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot.
Vantage teams reportedly have increased ownership over their projects, a shift from Ubisoft’s traditional centralized development approach. The company’s ongoing cost-cutting initiatives seek to reorganize operations and concentrate on its most profitable games.
