Discover ANY AI to make more online for less.

select between over 22,900 AI Tool and 17,900 AI News Posts.


Ubisoft shuts down a support studio and lays off 185 workers
Ubisoft shuts down a support studio and lays off 185 workers

Following a string of misfires, Ubisoft is shutting down a support studio and downsizing elsewhere, with the company firing around 185 workers in its latest cost-cutting measure. Ubisoft Leamington, situated in the English town of Royal Leamington Spa, is no more as the publisher is scuttling the 50-person studio. It's also laying off employees in Stockholm; Düsseldorf, Germany; and Newcastle, England (Ubisoft Reflections).
"As part of our ongoing efforts to prioritize projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability at Ubisoft, we have announced targeted restructurings at Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm and Ubisoft Reflections and the permanent closure of Ubisoft Leamington site," Ubisoft told Eurogamer in a statement. "Unfortunately, this should impact 185 employees overall. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and are committed to supporting them through this transition."
Ubisoft bought the Leamington studio from Activision in 2017. It was previously known as FreeStyleGames and the team was behind Guitar Hero Live and the DJ Hero series. Since joining Ubisoft, the studio has assisted with development on the Tom Clancy's The Division games, Star Wars Outlaws, Skull and Bones and Far Cry 5.
Things have been tumultuous at Ubisoft recently, as the company is dealing with the fallout of several underperforming games, such as Star Wars Outlaws, which didn't meet sales targets. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown fell short of Ubisoft's sales expectations too, and the company shifted many of the game's developers to other teams. Ubisoft is also shutting down XDefiant in the coming months, with the publisher shutting three studios and laying off 277 workers as part of that decision. As Eurogamer notes, Ubisoft's headcount dropped from 20,279 to 18,666 by the end of September.
Perhaps aligned with those recent woes, there have been numerous reports that Ubisoft is seeking a buyer or that it may create a joint venture with Tencent with some of its assets included. The company said earlier this month (PDF) that it would "continue to drive significant cost reductions" and it had "appointed leading advisors to review and pursue various transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders."
Suffice to say, there's a lot riding on the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows. Assassin's Creed has been a reliably bankable series for Ubisoft and it's arguably the company's flagship franchise at this point. Based on my early impressions, the game looks good enough and plays well enough for what the company needs it to do, and it seems to cater to both long-standing fans and series newcomers. There's a chance that Shadows could be successful for the company, but it's a mighty tall order for a single game to right a ship that's as large and unsteady as Ubisoft.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-shuts-down-a-support-studio-and-lays-off-185-workers-191048262.html?src=rss

Rating

Innovation

Pricing

Technology

Usability

We have discovered similar tools to what you are looking for. Check out our suggestions for similar AI tools.

Ubisoft launches its new Tencent-backed subsidiary
Ubisoft launches its new Tencent-backed subsidiary

<p>Ubisoft has launched — and named — its Tencent-backed subsidiary. Vantage Studios is the first of the company&#39;s &quot;creative houses&quot; under a previously-announced re [...]

Match Score: 173.03

Assassin's Creed Shadows preview: a few steps in the right direction
Assassin's Creed Shadows preview: a few steps in the right direction

<p>Things aren’t exactly going swimmingly at Ubisoft right now. The publisher had a rough 2024, with <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/i-really-want- [...]

Match Score: 136.53

Video Games Weekly: Every time this industry grows, it shrinks
Video Games Weekly: Every time this industry grows, it shrinks

<p><em>Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday, broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game tr [...]

Match Score: 125.59

Assassin's Creed Shadows review: An ambitious and captivating world that's stuck in the past
Assassin's Creed Shadows review: An ambitious and captivating world that's

<p>It&#39;s unlikely that the fate of a company as large as Ubisoft will hinge on the success of one tentpole single-player game. But the company cannot afford another major error anytime so [...]

Match Score: 103.84

Ubisoft spins out subsidiary with a billion-dollar investment from Tencent
Ubisoft spins out subsidiary with a billion-dollar investment from Tencent

<p>Ubisoft is continuing its efforts to course-correct after several <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-need [...]

Match Score: 98.48

Apple Mac Studio M4 Max review: A creative powerhouse
Apple Mac Studio M4 Max review: A creative powerhouse

<p>The Mac Studio is Apple’s ultimate performance computer, but <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/apples-new-mac-studio-comes-with-the-long [...]

Match Score: 88.65

The best Prime Day gaming deals on video games, hardware and more to get before the sale ends
The best Prime Day gaming deals on video games, hardware and more to get be

<p>It doesn't take much to play games these days. Phone, console, PC or handheld are all viable options. But why play using the bare minimum when you can upgrade your setup on the cheap by snagg [...]

Match Score: 87.36

We found the best Prime Day gaming deals on video games, hardware and more
We found the best Prime Day gaming deals on video games, hardware and more

<p>It doesn't take much to play games these days. Phone, console, PC or handheld are all viable options. But why play using the bare minimum when you can upgrade your setup on the cheap by snagg [...]

Match Score: 85.43

ZeniMax QA workers win tentative union contract with Microsoft
ZeniMax QA workers win tentative union contract with Microsoft

<p>After two years of negotiating, ZeniMax Workers United-CWA, the union representing quality assurance workers at ZeniMax Media, has reached a tentative union contract with <a href="htt [...]

Match Score: 84.54