Ubisoft kills 6 games, delays 7, and lays off devs as it kicks off a “major reset” — “While these decisions are difficult, they are necessary”

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On Wednesday, Ubisoft, the French video game company, announced a significant overhaul of its business. They plan to restructure how they operate, refocus their game development, and ultimately improve their performance and creative direction.

The company is canceling six games as part of a major restructuring. This includes the long-awaited remake of the popular Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time from 2003, four games that hadn’t been revealed yet, and one game designed for mobile devices.

The release of seven games has been pushed back to guarantee they meet high quality standards and offer lasting value. This includes one game originally slated for 2026, which is now expected next year. Many believe this delayed title is a remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, a project that has been the subject of rumors and leaks for some time.

As part of a company-wide restructuring, Ubisoft has closed studios in Halifax and Stockholm. According to CFO Frederick Duguet, these closures, along with layoffs, have impacted several teams, including Massive Entertainment (the studio behind The Division 3, which recently lost a key leader), Ubisoft Abu Dhabi, and RedLynx.

He told VGC that some employees will be moved to different major projects, and others might leave the company.

A key part of Ubisoft’s changes involves restructuring its development teams into five independent “Creative Houses.” Each house will manage a specific group of games, and they’ll receive support from Ubisoft’s central team, a network of supporting studios, and standardized resources to help them succeed. Here’s a breakdown of what each Creative House will handle:

  • CH1: Largely comprised of Vantage Studios in charge of developing Ubisoft’s biggest properties, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, to “turn them into annual billionaire brands.”
  • CH2: Focused on “competitive and cooperative shooter experiences” like The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell.
  • CH3: Maintaining “select, sharp Live experiences” including For Honor, The Crew, Riders Republic, Brawlhalla, and Skull & Bones.
  • CH4: Working on “immersive fantasy worlds and narrative-driven universes” such as Anno, Might & Magic, Rayman, Prince of Persia, and Beyond Good & Evil.
  • CH5: This last team is working on “reclaiming position in casual and family-friendly games,” and is in charge of brands like Just Dance, Idle Miner Tycoon, Ketchapp, Hungry Shark, Invincible: Guarding the Globe, Uno, and Hasbro.

The changes are intended to make development faster and more efficient. Ubisoft has also been working to cut costs, and these recent adjustments are part of that effort. They now expect to save €100 million by March – a full year earlier than initially planned.

In a recent statement, CEO Yves Guillemot explained that although these were tough choices, they were essential for building a stronger, more streamlined, and long-lasting Ubisoft. He stated that these changes represent a major shift for the company, allowing it to focus on innovation and deliver greater value to both players and investors in the future.

Ubisoft is making big changes to how it operates after several of its recent games, including Star Wars Outlaws, didn’t sell as well as expected. This led the company to sell a 25% share to Tencent and grant Tencent the rights to publish games in the Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six franchises.

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2026-01-21 22:09