Ubisoft shuts down Leamington studio with 185 Job cuts across Europe

Ubisoft is laying off 185 employees in Europe and is shutting down its Ubisoft Leamington studio in England. 

The company is also making cuts at Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm and Ubisoft Reflections as part of its restructuring efforts. 

“As part of our ongoing efforts to prioritise projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability at Ubisoft, we have announced targeted restructurings at Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm and Ubisoft Reflections and the permanent closure of Ubisoft Leamington site," the firm said in a statement to Eurogamer.

“Unfortunately, this should impact 185 employees overall. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and are committed to supporting them through this transition." 

Ubisoft acquired FreeStyleGames from Activision in 2017 and renamed it Ubisoft Leamington. Ubisoft Reflections contributed to the development of Just Dance in 2012 and was involved in the mobile game Just Dance Now in 2014.

Tough times for Ubisoft 

After some underperforming game releases and financial struggles, Ubisoft announced plans to reshape the company and look for new ways to make the most of its assets. 

Shortly after, new reports suggested that Tencent and Ubisoft’s founding Guillemot family are considering creating a new company to house some of Ubisoft’s assets to increase the company’s value.

The Guillemot family owns 14% of Ubisoft, while Tencent holds 9.99%. Shareholders are exploring a potential buyout while maintaining the Guillemot family's control. 

Tencent is undecided about increasing its stake as it seeks greater influence on board decisions. Discussions are ongoing, with Tencent aiming to block any hostile takeover attempts by other investors.