Ubisoft appoints general managers for Creative Houses 3 and 5 within the Creative Network
Ubisoft, the prominent French video game publisher, has named Julien Bares as the general manager for its newly established Creative Houses 3 and 5. Bares possesses a rich background in the gaming industry, having formerly served as Vice President at Tencent Games starting September 2020. Before that, he managed operations as the general manager for 2K China over nearly nine years and spent eight years as a producer at Ubisoft. His leadership experience extends to board roles in entities such as Splash Damage, Tequila Works, Don't Nod, and Sharkmob.
Creative House 3 will focus on live games, while Creative House 5 is gearing towards mobile and casual game development.
"My passion for gaming has been driven by the desire to create impactful experiences for players," Bares expressed. "Taking lead at Creative Houses 3 and 5 allows me to collaborate with highly-skilled teams to pioneer innovative games and strengthen our community ties. By leveraging top-tier technology and fostering collaboration across our studios, we strive to extend Ubisoft's distinctive creative ambition."
Furthermore, Ubisoft has introduced Thomas Andrén as the general manager of its newly formed Creative Network. This department aims to boost "best-in-class production capacity" by aiding Creative Houses with diverse development objectives.
Andrén joined Ubisoft’s Massive studio as a managing director in October 2021, later ascending to regional managing director for operations in Sweden, Finland, and Romania. His experience also includes five years at Red Bee Media and over five years at Ericsson.
"Ubisoft's newly established Creative Network embodies unmatched expertise, skill, and innovation," Andrén noted. "Each studio contributes unique capabilities and, through enhanced cooperation across the network and Creative Houses, we can merge agility with premier expertise to foster ambitious game development and deliver superb player experiences."
In January, Ubisoft announced its Creative House framework. This move coincided with launching Vantage Studios, now referred to as Creative House 1, in partnership with Tencent. Concurrently, the company cancelled six projects and embarked on €200 million in cost reductions.
Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft co-founder and CEO, remarked, "I am delighted to see Julien and Thomas assume these crucial roles. Their extensive experience in game development and unwavering dedication to our field will be instrumental in crafting fascinating experiences that captivate players, while also contributing to Ubisoft's progressive transformation and expansion."