Ubisoft Offers Voluntary Buyouts at Key Studio Amid Restructuring

Ubisoft Entertainment SA is offering voluntary buyouts to employees at Massive Entertainment, the Swedish studio behind franchises including "The Division" and "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora," the latest move in a sweeping restructuring effort at the videogame publisher.

The program, which Ubisoft described as a "voluntary career transition program," offers financial packages and career support to eligible employees who choose to depart. The French company didn't disclose how many positions could be eliminated or the program's total cost.

The initiative at Massive is part of what Ubisoft characterized as "ongoing evolution and long-term planning" following a turbulent period marked by delayed releases and commercial underperformance. The publisher has been working to right-size its operations and refocus development efforts after several high-profile setbacks.

Ubisoft said Massive remains committed to "The Division" franchise, including ongoing support for "The Division 2," the mobile title "The Division Resurgence" and development of "The Division 3." The company made no mention of Massive's other recent projects, including "Star Wars Outlaws" and "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora."

Ubisoft Restructuring Extends Beyond Massive Entertainment

The restructuring campaign intensified after Ubisoft delayed "Assassin's Creed Shadows" from November 2024 to February 2025, and again to March 20, 2025, following the poor commercial performance of "Star Wars Outlaws." The game sold approximately one million copies in its first month (far below the 5.5 million to 7.5 million units analysts had projected) and ranked only 47th among Europe's best-selling games of 2024.

As part of the overhaul, Ubisoft formed Vantage Studios, a new division created in partnership with Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. that now oversees several major franchises including "Assassin's Creed," "Far Cry" and "Rainbow Six Siege." The division officially launched in October 2025.

Beyond Massive, Ubisoft's Finland-based RedLynx studio, known for the "Trials" series, has proposed eliminating as many as 60 positions as it pivots toward mobile-game development. Negotiations with affected staff are expected to conclude by late November.

In late 2024, Ubisoft closed studios in San Francisco and Osaka, eliminating 277 positions. Earlier in 2025, the company shuttered its Leamington office, affecting 50 employees. The company also made smaller workforce reductions at its Red Storm studio and within publishing teams. Ubisoft has described the moves as "strategic decisions" necessary to optimize operations and ensure long-term viability.

The latest round of cuts underscores the challenges facing Ubisoft as it seeks to stabilize production schedules, streamline its global studio network and restore consistency across its portfolio of established franchises. The company joins other major game publishers in trimming workforce amid rising development costs and uncertain market conditions.