Overview
- Ubisoft confirmed late Wednesday that it has closed its Winnipeg studio, affecting about 65 employees, while multiple outlets reported the Belgrade studio is also being closed.
- Company plans include restructuring the Barcelona office to focus solely on the Rainbow Six franchise, a change that could leave dozens of Barcelona staff reassigned or at risk.
- Reports say the broader package of cuts and publishing reductions could put as many as 380 roles at risk, though outlets disagree on exact headcounts and some redundancies remain subject to consultation.
- Both Winnipeg and Belgrade were mainly support and technical studios that worked on Ubisoft’s Anvil and Snowdrop engines and contributed to titles such as Rainbow Six Siege, Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, which complicates staffing of ongoing projects.
- The closures continue a multi-year cost-cutting effort tied to a €200m-plus savings target and the formation of franchise-focused units after a major Tencent investment, and they have drawn criticism over how staff were informed and how press embargoes were handled.