Ubisoft Cuts Nine Publishing Roles Ahead of Tencent‑Backed Subsidiary Launch

Tencent x Ubisoft.

Ubisoft has laid off nine employees, mainly from its publishing team, as part of efforts to ensure a "smooth and swift" launch for its new Tencent-backed subsidiary.

The company confirmed the cuts in a statement shared with GamesIndustry.biz, noting that some staff will transition to other Ubisoft projects while those affected will receive support.

The move follows Ubisoft’s March 2025 announcement of a new division built around its biggest franchises — Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six — with Tencent investing €1.16 billion ($1.25 billion). According to Ubisoft, the subsidiary aims to create “evergreen, multi-platform ecosystems” and boost the quality of narrative-driven titles.

Leading the subsidiary are co-CEOs Christophe Derennes, formerly Ubisoft’s North America managing director, and Charlie Guillemot, son of CEO Yves Guillemot. The company hopes this structure will help stabilize finances after reporting first-quarter 2025–26 earnings below expectations, with revenue down 3.9% year-on-year and Rainbow Six: Siege underperforming.

Ubisoft describes the Tencent-funded division as the first of its new “Creative Houses,” meant to give teams more autonomy and closer ties with players while strengthening its balance sheet. However, the restructuring has also brought more job cuts. In July, Ubisoft laid off 19 employees at Red Storm Entertainment, and back in January, 185 roles were eliminated to reduce costs.

These recent layoffs add to a larger pattern. Before Tencent’s investment, Ubisoft shut down studios in Leamington, Osaka, and San Francisco, downsized teams across Europe, and canceled projects like XDefiant.