„We’re devastated that this is happening.” Ubisoft fired the entire studio just a month after it unionized

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Just under a month ago, nearly all of the employees at Halifax Studio, which is owned by Ubisoft, voted to form a union called the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada. Today, Ubisoft announced it’s closing the Halifax Studio, but says the decision isn’t related to the unionization effort.

So, Ubisoft laid off 71 people, and it’s pretty rough. What’s even more interesting is that 61 of those affected actually voted for the union. I’m really curious to know what Ubisoft’s reasoning is behind this, but all they’ve given us is a really short statement so far. It doesn’t really explain much, honestly, and leaves me wanting to know the full story.

As a long-time Ubisoft fan, I was really saddened to hear about the closure of their Halifax studio. I understand the company has been working hard over the last two years to become more efficient and cut costs, and unfortunately, that’s led to this tough decision. It’s heartbreaking to learn that 71 people are losing their jobs, but it sounds like Ubisoft is trying to do the right thing by offering those affected good severance packages and help finding new opportunities. It’s still a tough blow, though, and I’m thinking of everyone involved.

Many fans know that the French game developer has been struggling financially. To address this, they’ve partnered with Tencent to create Vantage Studios. This new studio will concentrate on popular franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, with Tencent owning a 25% share.

Considering the difficulties involved, Ubisoft probably made the decision to close the Halifax Studio based on financial data, not out of spite towards its employees. However, those who lost their jobs may still feel that’s how they were treated. The IGN union also released a statement about the studio’s closure.

We’re deeply upset about this situation, particularly because it’s happening shortly after our team formed a union. We’re exploring every possible way to protect our members’ rights.

Longtail Studios Halifax was established in 2010. In 2015, Ubisoft acquired the company and rebranded it as Ubisoft Halifax Studio. Since then, the studio has focused on creating mobile games, including titles like Assassin’s Creed: Rebellion and Rainbow Six Mobile.

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2026-01-08 13:02