Ubisoft hits The Division and Avatar studio, Massive Entertainment, with layoffs
Around 55 roles could be affected; Studio remains focused on future of The Division
Ubisoft has announced a proposed organizational restructuring at The Division and Avatar developer Massive Entertainment, which it says could result in 55 people losing their jobs.
The proposed restructure affects Massive’s Malmö and Stockholm studios and follows completion of a Voluntary Leave Program launched last year, and a finalized long-term roadmap, which Ubisoft says “has provided clearer visibility into the structure and capacity required to support the two studios’ work and sustainably over time”.
Massive’s focus going forward will be The Division franchise, including development of a third game and continued support for the second, as well as the Snowdrop engine and Ubisoft Connect.
The Division 3 was announced in 2023, but nothing from the game has been shown publicly. Recently, executive producer Julian Gerighty claimed that The Division 3 will have “as big an impact as The Division 1.”
In addition to The Division, Massive is working on a game project focused on innovation and technology, which will be revealed at a future date.
In an e-mail to staff, the publisher said: “These proposed changes are forward-looking and structural, they are not related to individual performance, recent deliveries, or the quality of the work produced by the teams.
“The long-term direction for the studios remains unchanged, and we will continue to serve as the global home and lead for to The Division franchise, move forward with an unannounced innovative tech project with a refined team setup, and play a central role in the development of Snowdrop and Ubisoft Connect.
“The proposed restructuring will begin with a focus on individual agreements and impacted employees are being informed directly and supported with care and respect inline with local regulations.”
The Massive restructure comes amid a turbulent period for the Assassin’s Creed publisher, which late last year opened a new subsidiary part-owned by Tencent, Vantage Studios, which now oversees Rainbow Six, Assassin’s Creed, and Far Cry.
Tencent holds a 25% stake in the new subsidiary and will act in an advisory role, with final creative and business decisions resting with co-CEOs Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot.
Ubisoft claims it’s shifting towards a less centralised operating model, in an attempt to give creative teams more ownership of the brands they work on.
