Ubisoft Halifax Closure: Over 70 Employees Impacted by Canada's Studio Shutdown
Ubisoft, the globally renowned video game publisher behind iconic franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six, has announced the closure of its Halifax studio in Canada.
This move, confirmed on Wednesday, is part of the company’s broader restructuring and cost-reduction strategy spanning its international operations. According to a Ubisoft spokesperson, 71 positions were affected as the company continues to streamline and enhance operational efficiency.
“Over the past 24 months, Ubisoft has undertaken company-wide actions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
As part of this, Ubisoft has made the difficult decision to close its Halifax studio,” the company said in an official statement relayed via Video Games Chronicle.
Ubisoft also emphasized its commitment to supporting all impacted employees, offering comprehensive severance packages and additional career assistance to ease the transition. Ubisoft Halifax, which had primarily specialized in mobile game development and supported several high-profile franchises, leaves behind a portfolio that includes work on industry mainstays such as Rainbow Six and Assassin’s Creed.
The decision to shutter the studio follows a growing trend of organizational changes at Ubisoft, as the publisher adapts to evolving market conditions and seeks to sharpen its competitive edge. The closure arrives just one month after 60 employees at Ubisoft Halifax unionized by joining the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada.
However, Ubisoft clarified that the decision to close the studio was made well ahead of the union’s formation.
The company reiterated its respect for its employees’ right to organize.
In response, the union declared that it will "pursue every legal recourse" to defend its members affected by the shutdown. In addition to restructuring, Ubisoft has stayed active on other development fronts.
The past year saw the company launch a new Tencent-backed subsidiary to focus on the Assassin’s Creed franchise and other intellectual properties.
Elsewhere, Ubisoft celebrated the 30th anniversary of its beloved Rayman series and released Assassin’s Creed Shadows for Nintendo Switch in December last year.
While the Switch version experienced a rocky rollout with early technical issues, post-launch updates have been released to address crashes and improve stability for players on the Nintendo hardware platform. The closure of Ubisoft Halifax highlights the ongoing shifts within the game development industry, as companies like Ubisoft balance investment in established IP, expansion into emerging markets, and the pursuit of operational efficiency.
The incident also underscores broader labor relations themes within major game companies, as unionization efforts continue to gain traction across North America’s gaming sector.
This move, confirmed on Wednesday, is part of the company’s broader restructuring and cost-reduction strategy spanning its international operations. According to a Ubisoft spokesperson, 71 positions were affected as the company continues to streamline and enhance operational efficiency.
“Over the past 24 months, Ubisoft has undertaken company-wide actions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
As part of this, Ubisoft has made the difficult decision to close its Halifax studio,” the company said in an official statement relayed via Video Games Chronicle.
Ubisoft also emphasized its commitment to supporting all impacted employees, offering comprehensive severance packages and additional career assistance to ease the transition. Ubisoft Halifax, which had primarily specialized in mobile game development and supported several high-profile franchises, leaves behind a portfolio that includes work on industry mainstays such as Rainbow Six and Assassin’s Creed.
The decision to shutter the studio follows a growing trend of organizational changes at Ubisoft, as the publisher adapts to evolving market conditions and seeks to sharpen its competitive edge. The closure arrives just one month after 60 employees at Ubisoft Halifax unionized by joining the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada.
However, Ubisoft clarified that the decision to close the studio was made well ahead of the union’s formation.
The company reiterated its respect for its employees’ right to organize.
In response, the union declared that it will "pursue every legal recourse" to defend its members affected by the shutdown. In addition to restructuring, Ubisoft has stayed active on other development fronts.
The past year saw the company launch a new Tencent-backed subsidiary to focus on the Assassin’s Creed franchise and other intellectual properties.
Elsewhere, Ubisoft celebrated the 30th anniversary of its beloved Rayman series and released Assassin’s Creed Shadows for Nintendo Switch in December last year.
While the Switch version experienced a rocky rollout with early technical issues, post-launch updates have been released to address crashes and improve stability for players on the Nintendo hardware platform. The closure of Ubisoft Halifax highlights the ongoing shifts within the game development industry, as companies like Ubisoft balance investment in established IP, expansion into emerging markets, and the pursuit of operational efficiency.
The incident also underscores broader labor relations themes within major game companies, as unionization efforts continue to gain traction across North America’s gaming sector.
