Ubisoft is accelerating its downsizing plan with the announced closure of support studios Ubisoft Winnipeg (Canada) and Ubisoft Belgrade (Serbia). These decisions, combined with an internal reorganization affecting at least one other subsidiary, are expected to trigger a new wave of job cuts across two continents. According to current estimates, the total could reach approximately 380 layoffs, a figure that illustrates the scale of the adjustment underway. Beyond the symbolism, these closures confirm a broader trend: the publisher is seeking to simplify its structure, consolidate its teams around a smaller number of priorities, and reduce costs at a time when the industry is carrying out numerous restructuring plans.

This move is part of a series of closures already seen since 2023, with Ubisoft gradually shutting down several entities over the course of the 2020s. In January 2026, the company indicated that it intended to continue this effort over the medium term in order to reach a model deemed more sustainable, while also announcing a new organization built around five “creative houses.” Among them, Vantage Studios, an initiative launched with Tencent in late 2025, is presented as a key structure for overseeing the company’s biggest franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six and Far Cry. The message is clear: less dispersion and greater focus on the franchises that drive revenue, at a time when projects are being reconfigured, delayed or abandoned, including titles mentioned in recent leaks, such as the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake.

On the ground, the impact is concrete. Ubisoft Winnipeg, active since 2019, had approximately 65 employees at the beginning of 2026. The studio provided support for several major series (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six) and contributed to work on XDefiant, while also supporting the internal Anvil and Snowdrop engines by adding features and tools. Ubisoft Belgrade, for its part, opened in 2016 and reportedly grew to around 100 employees. It played a more substantial support role on multiple productions, from Steep to Ghost Recon Wildlands, as well as The Crew 2, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Meanwhile, Ubisoft Barcelona is reportedly being redirected to focus exclusively on Rainbow Six, despite having been associated with various AAA projects during the first half of the 2020s.

Finally, these announcements come shortly after Red Storm Entertainment’s role was redefined. The studio, historically associated with Ghost Recon, is now more heavily focused on Snowdrop rather than on producing standalone games. Ubisoft had already closed its Stockholm and Halifax offices in January 2026, following further shutdowns in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Despite this series of cuts, the publisher is expected to remain close to 17,000 employees in mid-2026. Above all, the trend could continue: the cost-reduction plan presented in January 2026 is expected to span three years, suggesting further adjustments through early 2029 if the roadmap remains in place.