Ubisoft’s Organizational Overhaul Prompts French Union to Call for a Half-Day Strike

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Following Ubisoft’s recent restructuring – which has included project cancellations and job losses – the French game industry union Solidaires Informatique has announced a strike for half a day on January 22nd. The union calls Ubisoft’s changes “disastrous” and is asking the company to meet three key demands.

The union is urging Ubisoft to stop its cost-cutting measures, keep and expand its work-from-home options, and give employees meaningful raises this year.

Solidaires Informatique stated this action is a first response to what they see as unreasonable decisions from management. They also indicated further strikes are being considered, emphasizing they won’t allow leadership to negatively impact their working conditions. They suggested Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot should remember that the company’s employees are the ones who create its games.

Today, Ubisoft announced a significant restructuring of its operations, including the cancellation of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. The company says this overhaul is intended to refocus its creative direction and ensure long-term growth.

Ubisoft is changing how it’s organized. Instead of one big company, it’s now dividing into five smaller teams, called “Creative Houses,” each specializing in different types of games and projects.

The company is organizing its studios into three main groups. First, Vantage Studios (CH1) will concentrate on consistently releasing new installments of popular franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, with the goal of generating significant revenue. Second, CH2 will be dedicated to competitive and cooperative shooting games, including The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. Finally, CH3 will focus on creating live, ongoing experiences for games such as For Honor, The Crew, Riders Republic, Brawlhalla, and Skull and Bones.

CH4 will now be responsible for Ubisoft’s fantasy and story-driven games, including titles like Anno, Might & Magic, Rayman, Prince of Persia, and Beyond Good & Evil. Meanwhile, CH5 will handle family-friendly games such as Just Dance, Idle Miner Tycoon, Ketchapp, Hungry Shark, Uno, Invincible: Guarding the Globe, and games based on Hasbro properties.

So, Ubisoft started its planned cost cuts for 2026 earlier this month, and unfortunately, that meant layoffs. They let go of 55 people at Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft Stockholm. The weird thing is, an email went around saying it wasn’t because anyone was underperforming – they’re still confident in the future plans for both studios. It’s still rough seeing people lose their jobs, even if it wasn’t performance related.

Along with announcing big changes to the company, they also revealed they’re developing four new game franchises. One of these is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game called March of Giants, which Ubisoft recently purchased from Amazon.

Currently in development by the studio previously known as Amazon Games Montreal, March of Giants aims to shake up the MOBA genre, which has long been led by games like League of Legends and Dota 2. Developers promise a game with strategic gameplay and a strong emphasis on teamwork. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot believes this title offers a significant chance for the company to enter a new gaming space.

After Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced plans to cut costs, cancel projects, and end remote work, the Solidaires Informatique union is organizing a strike for Thursday, January 22nd, starting in the morning.

— Solidaires Informatique (@solinfonat.bsky.social) 2026-01-21T19:32:23.770Z

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2026-01-22 14:12