Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed team faces potential layoffs, with plans to cut up to 200 jobs in France.
After a week filled with disappointing news about game cancellations and delays, Ubisoft has revealed plans to potentially cut 200 positions at its Paris headquarters through a “voluntary mutual termination agreement.”
In a statement, Ubisoft clarified that this is still just a proposal for now. They explained, “In line with last week’s announcements regarding our new operating model and the acceleration of cost-reduction initiatives, Ubisoft International has begun discussions about a possible Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC), a collective, voluntary mutual termination agreement that could affect up to 200 roles at our headquarters in France.”
The company emphasized that no final decisions will be made until a collective agreement is reached with employee representatives and approved by French authorities. This proposal specifically targets Ubisoft International employees on French contracts and does not impact other French entities or Ubisoft teams globally.
While the outcome of this proposal remains uncertain, Ubisoft assures that participation would be entirely voluntary. This approach echoes last October’s announcement of a voluntary redundancy program at the Star Wars Outlaws studios, Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft Stockholm, which was described as a “voluntary career transition program” allowing eligible team members to advance their careers on their own terms.
This news follows closely on the heels of Ubisoft’s announcement of a “major reset” for the company, which included the cancellation of six games—such as the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake—and the delay of seven others, reportedly including the much-anticipated Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remake.
During that announcement, Ubisoft outlined its strategy to streamline game production under five “Creative Houses,” each dedicated to specific franchises and genres.
“Together, these measures represent a significant turning point for Ubisoft and demonstrate our commitment to tackling challenges head-on to reshape the Group for the long term,” stated CEO Yves Guillemot, adding, “This is a radical shift, focusing on a more decentralized creative organization with quicker decision-making and top-tier cross-functional core services supporting each Creative House.”
In related news, a former developer of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake claimed the game was “close to the finish line” but suffered from poor “internal alignment,” stating that “Ubisoft was heading in a different direction.”
