The Future of Ubisoft Looks Bleak

Quick Overview

The future of Ubisoft appears bleak due to significant corporate restructuring announced in April, which includes the cancellation of the Prince of Persia remake and other titles, layoffs, and a perceived move away from creative risks toward prioritizing existing billion-dollar brands, leading to employee uncertainty and a loss of faith in the company's direction.

Key Points: Ubisoft announced significant restructuring starting in April, including layoffs and the cancellation of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, which was reportedly being developed by an internal studio in Mumbai. The restructuring involves splitting Ubisoft into five 'Creative Houses' responsible for scaling and extending established billion-dollar franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six (Creative House 1). Creative House 2 focuses on competitive/cooperative shooter experiences (Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, The Division), while Creative House 3 handles Live Experiences (For Honor, Skull & Bones, The Crew). Creative House 4 focuses on immersive fantasy/narrative worlds (Anno, Beyond Good & Evil, Might & Magic, Prince of Persia, Rayman), and Creative House 5 focuses on casual/family-friendly games (Hasbro portfolio, Just Dance, UNO). The layoffs and restructuring are perceived as a corporate move to play it safe, focusing on established IPs rather than new ideas, which is seen as a major issue by the speakers. The cancellation of the Prince of Persia remake, which had already seen delays and development moves between Montreal and Mumbai studios, exemplifies this risk-averse strategy. The speakers suggest Ubisoft is potentially over-leveraged on live service models and is failing to support new, exciting ideas, leading to a difficult environment for employees.

Context: The video features hosts Lucy James and Tamoor Hussain discussing recent corporate changes and restructuring announcements at Ubisoft, which were revealed in April. The discussion centers on the implications of these changes, specifically layoffs, the cancellation of the Prince of Persia remake, and the new organizational structure dividing the company into five 'Creative Houses' focused on different aspects of their existing portfolio, which the hosts view critically.