All articles tagged with #ubisoft
Ubisoft’s Tencent-backed Vantage Studios has named three long-time Ubisoft veterans to lead the Assassin's Creed brand: Martin Schelling as Head of Assassin's Creed Brand, Jean Guesdon as Head of Content, and François de Billy as Head of Production Excellence. They will join existing leaders Andrée-Anne Boisvert and Lionel Hiller as the studio advances its Creative Houses restructuring amid layoffs and studio closures.
Ubisoft has tapped three long-time Assassin’s Creed veterans—Martin Schelling (brand head), François de Billy (Head of Production Excellence), and Jean Guesdon (Head of Content)—to run the franchise from the Tencent-backed Vantage Studios. The trio will define the series’ long-term vision, streamline production workflows, and guide creative direction across future installments—including a Black Flag remake—after recent leadership changes, signaling Ubisoft’s intent to keep the open-world stealth franchise on track and integrated with its broader development strategy.
Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot outlines €200 million in fixed-cost reductions and a shift to autonomous “creative houses” built around key franchises, alongside ongoing development of Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry titles and unannounced projects. The plan emphasizes selective restructuring, voluntary departures, tighter recruitment, and project pruning after post-Covid expansion. The move coincides with the appointment of Guillemot’s son Charlie as co-CEO of Vantage Studios, fueling nepotism criticism despite Ubisoft’s defense of the family-led, long‑term strategy. Tencent funds Vantage but claims operational autonomy, while investor confidence has been pressured by governance concerns; about 1,200 French workers recently struck over the company’s changes and return-to-office policy.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told Variety that Rayman is a landmark franchise and the Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition on Switch is the first step in its comeback, a digital museum that collects classic versions and bonus content while hinting at future Rayman projects. Some early impressions cite bugs and a revamped soundtrack, with Ubisoft exploring options to swap between old and new music as it navigates broader company restructuring.
Ubisoft confirmed 40 employees were laid off at its Toronto studio, which is working on the Splinter Cell remake. The company said the cuts were not a reflection of the impacted workers’ talents and will provide severance and career placement assistance. The remake is being developed from the ground up as a linear title, with Ubisoft Toronto continuing to contribute to other projects as the game remains in production.
Ubisoft Toronto cut 40 staff as part of Ubisoft's global cost-saving drive, but the Splinter Cell remake and co-development work with Rainbow Six will continue; the company says the layoffs reflect restructuring and will be followed by severance and career placement support, as Ubisoft previously shuttered other studios and canceled projects.
Ubisoft Toronto laid off 40 employees, but the Splinter Cell remake remains in development.
Ubisoft confirms two Far Cry projects and multiple Assassin’s Creed titles are in development as part of a five-studio restructuring, with Far Cry’s mainline game codenamed Blackbird and a standalone multiplayer title Maverick, plus Assassin’s Creed titles including Hexe and a Black Flag remake; the report also notes layoffs at the Splinter Cell remake studio and mentions the canceled Assassin’s Creed Singularity project.
Ubisoft’s Rayman franchise begins its revival with Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition on Nintendo Switch, described by CEO Yves Guillemot as the first step in a broader comeback, with more Rayman news promised soon.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot reveals a three-year plan to revamp the publisher with a new ‘Creative House’ structure that groups franchises into five houses, including Vantage Studios, aiming to boost creativity and accountability while targeting over €200 million in cost reductions and selective layoffs. The interview covers acquisitions (March of Giants from Amazon) and the Tencent partnership, the global rollout of Rainbow Six Mobile, AI initiatives like ‘Teammates,’ leadership questions around Guillemot’s family involvement, canceled projects (Prince of Persia remake), labor tensions and union concerns, and a push to balance live-service and single-player experiences while delivering a stronger, more agile roadmap for the next three years.
Ubisoft Toronto laid off 40 staff as part of a broader cost-cutting overhaul following Tencent’s investment, but the long‑delayed Splinter Cell remake remains in active development. The shake-up also led to cancellations like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, while Toronto will continue to support Rainbow Six as a co‑developer.
Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Shadows roadmap through late March adds a major Feb 17 update with a new detailed stats page, sharper critical-hit visuals, and a manual jump option via an 'advanced parkour' mode; a Parkour Challenge invites 60-second video submissions with prizes. The Switch 2 version will receive the DLC Claws of Awaji on March 10, introducing a new area and missions for Yasuke and Naoe.
Ubisoft has announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows' Claws of Awaji expansion will launch on Switch 2 on March 10 as part of the Shadows Winter Roadmap, adding a new area and storyline where Naoe and Yasuke head to Awaji Island to hunt a lost treasure, plus new weapons and skins that carry over to the base game. Ahead of that, a ver. 1.1.8 update arrives February 17 with improved stat pages, updated critical-hit visuals, and a manual jump option; Ubisoft will also kick off a one-year anniversary celebration on March 20 with livestreams and giveaways.
Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition on Switch uses a reimagined soundtrack, sparking fan calls to restore the original music. Ubisoft says the proper team will look into the request, with music rights/licensing and the late composer Rémi Gazel’s credits complicating potential changes; there is currently no toggle to switch back, though updates could address OST concerns.
Ubisoft reveals Assassin's Creed Shadows' Winter Roadmap, adding a community parkour challenge, a detailed stats page, and a manual jump option (enabled via Advanced Parkour Options) arriving Feb 17; the Switch 2 version will receive Claws of Awaji on March 10 with a new region, gear, enemies, and over 10 hours of content, plus anniversary livestreams on March 20.