Ubisoft Shuts Down Another Studio, Threatening a Beloved 25-Year Franchise

Ubisoft has put forth a proposal to shut down its Finnish studio, Ubisoft RedLynx, known for the beloved Trials series of motorbike stunt games. This decision comes amid the publisher’s ongoing struggles in 2026, as it continues to restructure its global development teams into creative houses. The layoffs will also affect Ubisoft Singapore, where 70 employees will lose their jobs, following the disappointing performance of Skull and Bones, which incurred a staggering $200 million loss.

Closing RedLynx is complicated by Finnish laws requiring employers to engage in “change negotiations” with employees before making significant layoffs or changes. This means Ubisoft must consult with staff before finalizing any decisions, which is why the closure is currently framed as a “proposal.”

RedLynx has already faced significant cuts, with more than half its workforce laid off in 2025, and the remaining team shifted focus to mobile game development. Reports indicate that the studio’s closure is driven by a lack of new projects and the belief that resizing alone wouldn’t ensure sustainability. In the past seven years, RedLynx has contributed to the porting of The Division 2 to Google Stadia and released a short-lived mobile game, Gwen’s Getaway, which was taken down after just a year.

It’s hard to believe that RedLynx isn’t working on anything, especially since Ubisoft previously mentioned two unannounced projects in development. Given the success of the Trials format for mobile devices, it seems unlikely that the studio wouldn’t be exploring a new mobile version of Trials, especially with advancements in technology since the underwhelming release of Trials Frontier in 2014.

The future of the Trials franchise is now uncertain. After seven years without a new title, the potential closure of RedLynx raises concerns about the series’ viability. Ubisoft has been contacted for further clarification.

Meanwhile, Ubisoft Singapore is also facing downsizing, with 70 positions impacted to align with production needs. Initially established as a support team for major AAA titles, the studio took on the challenging task of developing Skull and Bones, which struggled for over a decade and ultimately received poor reviews and sales.

Following this, the studio led the successful Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which sold over 3.5 million copies in its first two weeks. However, this success hasn’t been enough to offset the ongoing issues within Ubisoft, which has seen its share price plummet from €84 in 2021 to around €5 in March 2026, marking a staggering 95 percent drop from its peak of €100 per share in 2018, with no signs of recovery in sight.