Ubisoft announces more layoffs as it closes Leamington studio and downsizes across Europe

by Danny Craig  · 
Ubisoft announces more layoffs as it closes Leamington studio and downsizes across Europe
Ubisoft

Ubisoft has confirmed the closure of its Leamington studio, as well as layoffs at several of its European studios, as it seeks to reduce costs even further.

The details:

  • The publisher confirmed the layoffs in a statement to Eurogamer, with 185 employees laid off at Ubisoft Leamington, Ubisoft Düsseldorf (formerly Blue Byte), Ubisoft Stockholm, and Driver series developer Ubisoft Reflections based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

  • Ubisoft has also announced that its Leamington studio has been shuttered completely. The developer, formerly known as FreeStyleGames, was behind Activision's DJ Hero spin-off series before being acquired by Ubisoft, where it served as a support studio for titles such as The Division, Far Cry 5, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

  • According to Ubisoft, the layoffs and closure of Leamington are part of its "ongoing efforts to prioritize projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability" at the company. The move comes after the publisher announced earlier this month that it would be "taking decisive steps" as rumors about Ubisoft's uncertain future continue to circulate.

  • Ubisoft has laid off thousands of employees in recent years, citing a number of commercial flops, including Star Wars Outlaws and the recently cancelled free-to-play shooter XDefiant, as contributing to the company's declining share price. Tencent and the Guillemot Family are rumored to be planning a new venture involving Ubisoft's assets in an attempt to increase its value and give the Chinese tech giant more control, but the decision will ultimately be determined by the success of Assassin's Creed Shadows, which will be released in March.

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