Ubisoft is shutting down its studios in Winnipeg and Belgrade while also reducing publishing roles across the globe, putting 380 jobs in jeopardy

Image credit: Ubisoft

According to sources, Ubisoft has initiated another phase of layoffs as part of its ongoing organizational overhaul. This restructuring led to the closure of its studios in Winnipeg and Belgrade and proposed more changes to its Barcelona operations as well as its global publishing division. Approximately 380 positions are reportedly endangered.

The plan for Ubisoft Barcelona involves concentrating their efforts solely on the Rainbow Six franchise. In addition, the global publishing department has seen job reductions across multiple offices, although the exact number of roles affected remains uncertain due to the redundancy measures occurring in different regions. Local reports suggest about 61 positions are impacted in Barcelona.

Established in 2016, the Belgrade studio provided support on several projects, including recent work on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced and Assassin's Creed Shadows. The Winnipeg location, which began operations in 2019, was involved in the development of Rainbow Six Mobile after contributing to XDefiant, a free-to-play shooter that did not take off. The Barcelona studio, distinct from Ubisoft Barcelona Mobile also located in the city, was credited on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced before the recent announcements.

Ubisoft has been implementing significant cost reductions over the past five years. Earlier this year, it declared a "final" series of budget cuts aimed at achieving €200 million in savings. The firm's latest financial disclosure indicated a considerable drop in both revenue and net bookings, with the current fiscal year projected to be a low phase for free cash flow due to redundancy-related expenses. The company's planned releases are minimal this year, featuring primarily remakes such as Black Flag Resynced and Rayman Legends Retold.