Video game giant Ubisoft Entertainment has shut down its production studio in Halifax, resulting in the loss of 71 jobs, shortly after most employees opted to unionize.
Based in Paris, Ubisoft, renowned for its popular Assassin’s Creed series, clarified that the closure was unrelated to the recent unionization of 60 staff members who joined the Canadian branch of the Communications Workers of America.
The Halifax office marked Ubisoft’s first unionized branch in North America. The company attributed the closure to its need for cost optimization, emphasizing its respect for employees’ right to unionize across its global teams.
Despite the union drive gaining momentum in June, with a majority of Halifax staff supporting union certification, Ubisoft had been streamlining its operations for the past two years. The Nova Scotia Labour Board officially certified the new local following a significant vote in favor.
Under CWA Canada Local 30111, these employees align with a unit representing game workers at Bethesda Game Studios in Montreal and personnel at the Montreal Gazette newspaper. The decision to unionize was prompted by industry-wide uncertainties, including layoffs and studio closures.
The stock price of the publicly traded company in Paris has witnessed a decline over the years. CWA Canada raised concerns over the timing of the closure, emphasizing the illegality of shutting down a business due to unionization in Canada.
The closure affected various roles, including producers, programmers, designers, artists, researchers, and development testers. Ubisoft confirmed its global trend of studio closures and downsizing, impacting multiple locations worldwide.
Established in 2010 and rebranded as Ubisoft Halifax in 2015, the studio specialized in mobile and free-to-play games, particularly supporting Assassin’s Creed Rebellion. While Montreal serves as Ubisoft’s primary production hub, the company has multiple other Canadian studios, some of which have also felt the effects of recent cutbacks.
As of September, Ubisoft employed over 17,000 individuals globally, with significant job cuts in the previous year. The Montreal studio alone boasted around 4,000 employees in May 2024.
