Ubisoft is asking an unknown number of developers at the studio behind The Division 2, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Star Wars Outlaws to voluntarily lay themselves off as part of the French publisher’s latest cost-cutting restructuring.
“As part of our ongoing evolution and long-term planning, we have recently realigned our teams and resources to strengthen our roadmap, ensuring our continued focus on The Division franchise and the technologies, including Snowdrop and Ubisoft Connect, that power our games,” the Sweden-based studio announced in a statement on Wednesday. “To support this transition responsibly, we introduced a voluntary career transition program, giving eligible team members the opportunity to take their next career step on their own terms, supported by a comprehensive package that includes financial and career assistance.”
Massive was acquired by Ubisoft from Activision Blizzard back in 2008. It initially began supporting the publisher on Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry before spearheading the development of The Division, an ambitious multiplayer shooter that let players team up or fight one another over loot in a ghostly depiction of post-outbreak New York. While its Snowdrop engine is now being used in the development of the next Far Cry, recent licensed projects like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws haven’t delivered new best-selling franchises.
The cuts come as Ubisoft shifts its management structure under a new deal with Chinese conglomerate Tencent which has invested over $1 billion in a a smaller subsidiary called Vantage Studios which will prioritize franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six Siege. With none of the projects it leads in that group, Massive appears to be on the chopping block, though it’s unclear how many actual developers will be laid off as part of this new initiative.
The studio says it will remain focused on delivering promised content within the Division universe, including The Division 2, The Division 2: Survivors, The Division Resurgence, and and eventual Division 3.
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