The Division developer Massive Entertainment offers voluntary layoffs to employees

Massive Entertainment, the Sweden-based Ubisoft studio behind The Division series, has introduced a voluntary “career transition” program for eligible staff members as part of its restructuring plans.

The details:

• Massive has announced on X that it is planning to reduce its total headcount as it shifts its focus to the future of The Division franchise, its internal Snowdrop Engine, and the Ubisoft Connect platform off the back of the launch of Star Wars Outlaws earlier this year.
• Ahead of any cuts, the studio has offered employees a voluntary career transition program, which offers “eligible team members the opportunity to take their next career step on their own terms, supported by a comprehensive package that includes financial and career assistance.” It’s expected that this will allow Ubisoft to identify staff that are willing to be let go before any official layoffs go ahead.
• Despite the upcoming changes, Massive has confirmed its commitment to its roadmap, which includes The Division 2, The Division 2: Survivors, The Division Resurgence, and The Division 3. The restructuring follows the underperformance of two major releases from the studio: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws, both of which failed to meet Ubisoft's commercial expectations.
• The announcement comes shortly after another Ubisoft studio, Finland-based Trials developer RedLynx, proposed a restructuring that could result in up to 60 employees being laid off as it pivots to mobile games. The publisher also recently lost the head of its Assassin’s Creed franchise, who turned down a new role at its new Tencent-backed subsidiary, Vantage Studios.