Trials studio Ubisoft RedLynx is laying off up to 60 staff as it refocuses on ‘small screens’
Ubisoft has announced a “restructuring proposal” for the Finland studio
Ubisoft is preparing to lay off up to 60 staff at RedLynx as part of proposed restructuring.
A statement posted on the RedLynx website says that Ubisoft has announced a restructuring proposal for the Finland-based studio, as “part of the company’s global efforts to simplify, reduce costs, and ensure a stronger prioritization and efficiency across the company’s worldwide studio network”.
The statement says that Ubisoft will negotiate the proposal with its staff in “collective negotiations” before making a decision.
It notes, however, that if the proposal goes again, it will “result in the reduction of maximum 60 positions”, mainly among the production and administration teams.
The proposal would see RedLynx changing its focus from a multi-format developer to one “specialised in small screens”, meaning mobile games, including two unannounced mobile game the studio is currently leading development on.
Ubisoft says this shift in focus would let RedLynx better optimise its resources and position itself for “sustainable success”.
“This proposal reflects difficult choices we may need to make, and it comes after careful consideration,” Ubisoft RedLynx managing director Celine Pasula said in a statement. “We recognize the weight of this announcement and want to acknowledge the impact this proposal may have on individuals and teams.”
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She added: “We are confident that, with the proposed changes, RedLynx would continue to play a meaningful role in Ubisoft’s future – driving technical excellence on mobile devices, and strengthening Ubisoft’s cross and multi-platform capabilities on small screens to expand our audience reach.”
RedLynx was founded in 2000 and started as a small independent studio focused on mobile and browser games, most notably its popular Trials series. After the success of downloadable Xbox 360 game Trials HD, Ubisoft acquired RedLynx in 2011, after which it developed a further five Trials games, the latest being 2019’s Trials Rising.
These days the team tends to collaborate on other Ubisoft projects, including working alongside the team responsible for Ubisoft’s Snowdrop engine. It also recently supported Massive Entertainment with its Switch 2 port of Star Wars Outlaws.
