Ubisoft Montreal lays off nearly 100 workers

Ubisoft confirmed to Kotaku today that the Rainbow Six: Siege and Far Cry series creator’s Montreal branch will lay off 98 workers.

“Over the past few months, every team within Ubisoft has been exploring ways to streamline our operations and enhance our collective efficiency so that we are better positioned for success in the long term,” Ubisoft said, according to a statement shared with Kotaku. “In this context, today we announced that we are reorganizing our Canadian studios’ general and administrative functions and reducing headcount in Hybride (our VFX studio based in Montreal) and in our global IT team, which impacts 124 positions overall. These are not decisions taken lightly and we are providing comprehensive support for our colleagues who will be leaving Ubisoft during this transition. We also want to share our utmost gratitude and respect for their many contributions to the company. This restructuring does not affect our production teams.”

In September, many reports claimed employees at Ubisoft’s Montreal office were furious with a return-to-office policy set after workers were promised they could continue to work from home. Several employees claimed the return-to-office policy was a “soft layoff” that was intended to thin their ranks.

Ubisoft’s Montreal office was one of its more successful. The Far Cry series and Rainbow Six: Siege development have long been boons to Ubisoft, guiding the developer through turbulent times for its flagship series, Assassin’s Creed. Over the past few years, Ubisoft has had several projects stuck in development limbo; Skull and Bones has been delayed for years, and multiple games have been outright canceled.

2023 has been a turbulent time for Ubisoft and the gaming industry in general. The Paris office’s union urged for employees to strike in January. In May, 60 employees at the North Carolina and Newcastle offices were laid off. It feels like nearly every developer of note has had extensive cuts during the calendar year, which has also come with record profits for the industry at large.