Ubisoft Laid Off 185 Employees and Shut Down a Studio For “More Efficient Operating Models”
After having recently announced that it would be laying off 185 employees alongside shutting down one of its studios, Ubisoft has seemingly referred to the move in an internal memo as one made for “finding more efficient operating models and to ensure our long-term success.”
According to Insider Gaming, the internal memo revealed a breakdown of the recent layoffs; around 65 employees from Ubisoft Dusseldorf, 100 from Ubisoft Leamington and Reflections, and around 20 from Ubisoft Stockholm were let go. Of these studios, Ubisoft Leamington was the only one closed down.
The memo also talks about the reasoning behind the layoffs, which production zone 4 managing director Benedikt Grindel ascribes to wanting to improve the studios’ operational efficiency.
“I understand the uncertainty these changes will bring,” said Grindel. “We are committed to supporting everyone who may be impacted during this transition. Let me assure you, these decisions were not made lightly. We believe they are essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.”
Production Zone 3 and Ubisoft Stockholm managing director Thomas Andren had also spoken to the team, talking about the difficulty of the decision.
“We know that this decision impacts more than just the studio and its projects; it impacts people-our colleagues, teammates, and friends. We deeply understand how difficult this is, and supporting everyone through this transition is our utmost priority,” he said.
“While difficult, the changes announced yesterday are targeted at us finding more efficient operating models and to ensure our long-term success,” continued Andren’s message to the team. “This is driven by a strong conviction: our ability to keep creating and operating unique, powerful, and popular brands that extend beyond video games.”
Ubisoft Leamington was originally known as FreeStyleGames, and was responsible for titles like the DJ Hero franchise before
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