Ubisoft is Laying Off 185 Employees Throughout Europe, Shutting Down Leamington Studio

Ubisoft has declared that it intends to close its Leamington studio, leading to a significant number of job losses. Additionally, the studios in Düsseldorf, Stockholm, and Reflections in Europe will experience layoffs as part of these staff reductions, impacting 185 employees in total.

In order to focus on crucial projects and maintain long-term financial security at Ubisoft, we’ve announced strategic reorganizations affecting Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm, and Ubisoft Reflections. Additionally, our Leamington site will be permanently shut down. This decision regrettably affects 185 employees across these studios. We greatly appreciate their work and are dedicated to assisting them during this period of transition.

Originally named FreeStyleGames, a studio located in Leamington Spa, England, has been known for creating games like the DJ Hero series. After being purchased by Ubisoft and rebranded as Ubisoft Leamington, this studio has provided assistance on significant Ubisoft projects such as Star Wars Outlaws, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Far Cry 5.

At present, it’s unclear whether this news connects to the speculation from January that Ubisoft might collaborate with Tencent on a new business endeavor. If true, this collaboration could result in a joint venture owning Ubisoft’s assets, potentially boosting Ubisoft’s overall worth. However, neither Tencent nor Ubisoft have verified this speculation yet.

Currently, Ubisoft is planning on bringing in consultants who will investigate strategies to increase the company’s worth. According to founder Yves Guillemot, these consultants are looking into both strategic and financial opportunities that would maximize benefits for stakeholders. An autonomous committee within the company’s Board of Directors will supervise these advisors.

Ubisoft is preparing for the launch of their next big game: “Assassin’s Creed Shadows.” After experiencing some setbacks, the game has now been scheduled for a March 20 release. It will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Ubisoft has shared various details about the upcoming title, such as the absence of one protagonist’s assassin skills, the accessibility features it offers, and the lack of new points of interest every 50 meters. For additional information, watch the story trailer released earlier this month.

As a die-hard Assassin’s Creed fan, I can hardly contain my excitement as we’re about to embark on a new journey! The upcoming Animus Hub is going to be the heart and soul of our beloved series, serving as its permanent residence in the future. However, it’s worth noting that titles released prior to Assassin’s Creed Origins won’t be compatible with this innovative platform.

Read More

2025-01-28 15:42