Ubisoft has spent the past few years trying to convince players that it’s finally turning things around. But just when it looked like it was starting to earn back some goodwill, the French publisher is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The company has reportedly shut down both Ubisoft Winnipeg and Ubisoft Belgrade, potentially affecting more than 180 employees across the two support Rainbow Six studios.
Insider Gaming reported that the closure of Ubisoft Winnipeg was announced during a meeting on Wednesday morning. Around 85 employees are losing their jobs as a result, with multiple former staff members confirming their departures on LinkedIn. Just hours later, the outlet added that Ubisoft Belgrade had also been shut down, with all of the studio’s roughly 100 employees let go.
Ubisoft Winnipeg opened in 2018 and contributed to several major Ubisoft releases, including Rainbow Six Siege, XDefiant, Far Cry 6, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Ubisoft Belgrade, founded in 2016, also worked on Rainbow Six Siege alongside Ghost Recon Wildlands, Breakpoint, The Crew 2, and Skull & Bones.
According to Insider Gaming’s sources, the layoffs are the result of Ubisoft ‘revamping’ its interproject processes as part of a broader strategic shift. Beyond the studio closures, the restructuring has reportedly seen around 120 developers removed from Rainbow Six Siege. Another 50 staff members, too, have been taken off Rainbow Six Siege Mobile and an unannounced project. These are not believed to be additional layoffs ‘at this time.’
In a statement, Ubisoft stressed that Rainbow Six Siege remains ‘a strong brand’ for the company. It added that ‘team size adjustment and resource allocation’ are a normal part of game development as projects move through different stages.
The report of the Rainbow Six studios closure comes amid an unfortunate time. Ubisoft has recently shown signs of regaining goodwill among the gaming community, thanks to long-requested projects. From the Black Flag Resync, Rayman Legends Retold, to a Splinter Cell Remake, which is still rumored to be in development.
However, these latest layoffs serve as a reminder that the company’s costly restructuring measures are far from over. Earlier this year, around 40 developers at Ubisoft Toronto were laid off as part of wider cost-cutting measures. Multiple projects were reportedly canceled, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake.
