Major titles are expanding in scale, raising the stakes even higher.
Ubisoft is undergoing significant changes in its approach to game development. The company is shifting its focus towards the expansive open-world titles it’s known for, alongside live service games, while also canceling six projects in development, including the much-anticipated Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. This move aligns with a broader trend among major players in the gaming industry, such as EA and Sony, who are opting to create fewer but larger games to mitigate risk.
Under this new strategy, Ubisoft will organize its game development into five distinct “Creative Houses,” each dedicated to specific genres and franchises. For instance, Vantage Studios is set to handle some of Ubisoft’s most prominent franchises, aiming to transform them into annual billion-dollar brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Other studios will concentrate on competitive shooters, live service titles, fantasy and narrative-driven experiences, and casual games.
The press release highlights several well-known series that will fall under these new studios, such as The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, Just Dance, and even Prince of Persia, despite the cancellation of Sands of Time. Notably, Beyond Good & Evil is also mentioned, with its sequel lingering in development for over a decade. However, Ubisoft has indicated that only four new franchises are currently in the works, having scrapped three others, suggesting a strategy that leans heavily on established brands rather than exploring new ideas. This restructuring has also led to the closure of several studios and is likely to result in further layoffs.
This new direction places increased pressure on these titles to succeed, especially in light of the disastrous launch of PlayStation’s Concord. After about eight years of development and significant investment, the game failed to gain traction and was taken offline just two weeks post-launch, leading to the permanent closure of both the game and its developer, Firewalk Studios. Ubisoft aims to sidestep such pitfalls by focusing on familiar franchises, which inherently carry less risk. Projects that may not guarantee success, like the long-in-development Sands of Time Remake, appear to be sidelined in favor of more secure bets.
Joost van Dreunen, a games professor at New York University, notes that this trend reflects a classic risk-averse strategy. As market conditions become uncertain, large publishers tend to retreat to their proven franchises. While this approach is a logical response to instability, it comes with drawbacks, such as the tendency to recycle established franchises instead of fostering new experiences, potentially leading to increased prices for big-budget sequels. Van Dreunen cautions that while this strategy may work for publishers with extensive catalogs of beloved franchises, it doesn’t guarantee long-term survival; it’s more about buying time than creating a sustainable future.
Ubisoft’s pivot mirrors similar strategies from other major gaming companies. EA, prior to its $55 billion deal to go private, had already been concentrating on major franchises with robust online communities, such as Battlefield, EA Sports FC, and The Sims. Following the troubled launch of Battlefield 2042, the development of Battlefield 6 became crucial for both the series and EA, and it appears to have paid off, as the game has been a significant success, touted as “the best-selling shooter game” of 2025. While EA has smaller franchises like Plants vs. Zombies, it has also streamlined its portfolio, canceling a Black Panther game that was in development.
Sony is also narrowing its focus to fewer titles, primarily divided into two categories. While the company has scaled back its live service ambitions and faced some setbacks, live service games remain a key component of its strategy, bolstered by the establishment of a new studio spun off from Bungie, the creators of Destiny. At the same time, Sony continues to champion big-budget single-player exclusives that have become synonymous with the PlayStation brand. Upcoming projects include expansive single-player titles that build on previous successes, such as Housemarque’s Saros, Marvel’s Wolverine from Insomniac, and Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
In a recent press release, Ubisoft cofounder and CEO Yves Guillemot addressed the challenges facing the AAA market, noting its increased competitiveness, rising costs, and greater hurdles, while also highlighting that successful games now have “more financial potential than ever.” Like many in the industry, Ubisoft is betting that a renewed focus on larger, well-known brands released on a more consistent schedule will provide a more stable business model. While this approach may yield success, it also raises concerns about job losses and diminished creative innovation. The future of blockbuster gaming remains uncertain, but it’s clear that familiar franchises will dominate the landscape. Prepare for even more Assassin’s Creed in the coming years.
