French video game company Ubisoft is laying off dozens of employees at its Toronto studio, according to a report from Canadian tech news outlet MobileSyrup. Ubisoft, the publisher of popular video game franchises like Prince of Persia and Assassin’s Creed, says the latest round of cuts is part of controversial company-wide restructuring efforts following a colossal investment from Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent.
In an internal email obtained by MobileSyrup, Ubisoft said its Toronto studio will remain a “key contributor to several codev mandates and service teams.” Ubisoft’s Toronto and Montreal studios will also continue working on their collaborative Alice x Junction endeavor, through which the teams focus on high-fidelity performance capture for in-game cinematics, including voice acting, mo-cap, scanning, and more.
Following news of the layoffs, Ubisoft issued an exclusive statement to MobileSyrup:
“This decision was not taken lightly and does not in any way reflect the talent, dedication, or contributions of the individuals affected. Our priority now is to support them through this transition with comprehensive severance packages and robust career placement assistance.”
MobileSyrup confirmed that, despite the layoffs, Ubisoft Toronto is “still working” on its remake of the original Splinter Cell game, which it first announced back in late 2021. Ubisoft Toronto will reportedly contribute to Rainbow Six Siege alongside lead developer Ubisoft Montreal.
Ubisoft faces scrutiny following recent layoffs, closures, and cancellations
Job cuts at Ubisoft Toronto — the game publisher’s largest dev crew — are among several from the French publisher as of late. On February 11, an estimated 1,200 Ubisoft employees participated in a strike over the company’s restructuring efforts and its stringent return-to-office policy.
On January 11, Ubisoft announced more than 50 job redundancies at its Stockholm studio and Swedish subsidiary, Massive Entertainment, the studio behind The Division. Massive lost the series’ boss, Julian Gerighty, not long after.
On January 7, the French game publisher closed its newly-unionized Halifax studio. The move made around 70 employees’ positions redundant.
Other controversies arose alongside Ubisoft’s noteworthy closures, job cuts, and game cancellations. Last summer, three former Ubisoft executives received suspended prison sentences after being convicted of workplace psychological and sexual harassment. Thomas François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux engaged in hostile and abusive workplace behaviors from 2012 to 2020. François, Hascoët, and Patrux were arrested following a lengthy investigation by French police in 2023. Two other employees were also taken into custody.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for more news as it becomes available.
