Software company Ubisoft has made the decision to shut down its Halifax studio, resulting in 71 employees losing their jobs. The closure is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance efficiency and reduce expenses. Ubisoft stated that they have been implementing various measures over the past two years to streamline operations and cut costs.
According to a spokesperson named Antoine Leduc-Labelle, the studio’s work on the video game Assassin’s Creed Rebellion has been facing a decline in revenue since its launch in 2018. Last December, 60 workers at the Halifax studio formed the first union within Ubisoft in North America.
Responding to inquiries from CBC News, Leduc-Labelle mentioned that the restructuring process began well before the studio’s unionization in June 2025. T.J. Gillis, a senior server developer at Ubisoft Halifax for five years, shared that employees were informed about the closure during a meeting, citing industry challenges as the reason for shutting down the studio.
Gillis expressed suspicion about the timing of the closure, especially following the formation of the union. The staff, represented by CWA Canada, intends to seek clarification from Ubisoft regarding the sudden closure, with the union president, Carmel Smyth, emphasizing the need for transparency.
With the closure of the Halifax studio, Gillis highlighted the lack of employment opportunities for game developers in the province, referencing the previous closure of Microsoft’s Alpha Dog studio in 2024. Gillis reflected on his experiences in the gaming industry, expressing disappointment over the projects and relationships built over the years vanishing due to the closure of the studio.