Ubisoft shuts down studio in the UK with additional cuts elsewhere

In its bid to reduce running costs, beleaguered publisher and developer Ubisoft has announced the closure of its studio in Leamington, United Kingdom, in addition to cuts at Ubisoft Reflections in Newcastle upon Tyne, Ubisoft Düsseldorf in Germany, and Ubisoft Stockholm in Sweden.

“As part of our ongoing efforts to prioritise projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability at Ubisoft, we have announced targeted restructurings at Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm and Ubisoft Reflections and the permanent closure of Ubisoft Leamington site,” a statement issued by Ubisoft says. 

It continues: “Unfortunately, this should impact 185 employees overall. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and are committed to supporting them through this transition.”

Late in 2024, Ubisoft already shut down studios in San Francisco, United States, and Osaka, Japan, following the announcement that it would take live-service shooter XDefiance offline.

Ubisoft is in deep financial trouble following a series of commercial duds like Skull and Bones, XDefiance, and Star Wars Outlaws with all of its remaining hopes laying on Assassin's Creed Shadows — hence the latest delay of the game to March 2025 to allow for yet more polishing.

Rumors keep flying around that Tencent and Ubisoft’s leading Guillemot family may buy out the company to remove it from public trading and allow for a period of stabilization. These plans, it appears, have been put back into the drawer to wait for Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ release.

As is evident from the layoffs in December 2024 and January 2025, though, the efforts to stop the company’s bleeding are as drastic as ever.