Ubisoft Closes Studio After Unionization Efforts, Impacting 71 Employees

Ubisoft has made the tough decision to close its Halifax studio in Canada, just after the team successfully unionized.

In a statement, it was revealed that 71 employees from the 15-year-old studio, which was acquired by Ubisoft in 2015 and had been working on mobile versions of major franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six, will be entering the job market as 2026 begins.

This week, the Halifax team celebrated the certification of their labor union, marking a significant milestone as the first union formed within Ubisoft in North America after over six months of organizing. Ubisoft has stated that the studio’s closure is not linked to the unionization efforts, attributing the decision instead to ongoing cost-cutting measures across the organization.

“Over the past 24 months, Ubisoft has undertaken company-wide actions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs,” the company noted. “As part of this, we have made the difficult decision to close our Halifax studio, affecting 71 positions. We are committed to supporting all impacted team members during this transition with resources, including comprehensive severance packages and additional career assistance.”

In October 2024, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot mentioned that the company was focused on “restoring the level of creativity and innovation that built Ubisoft’s success,” which included significant layoffs. More recently, in October 2025, the studio behind Star Wars Outlaws, Massive, initiated soft layoffs through a “voluntary career transition program.”

As part of its restructuring efforts, Ubisoft has also received substantial investment from Tencent in its new subsidiary, Vantage Studios, which is managing key intellectual properties like Assassin’s Creed.