Ubisoft has closed two studios and cancelled six projects – including its much-delayed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake – as part of a major restructuring effort that will also see delays for seven games.
The moves are part of what Ubisoft calls a “major organisational, operational and portfolio reset” as it looks to respond to a “persistently more selective AAA market and an increasingly competitive shooter landscape”. The restructuring will see the publisher split its efforts across five “creative houses”, respectively focused on “scaling and extending” its biggest properties (including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six); on competitive and cooperative shooter experiences (The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell); on live experiences (For Honor, The Crew, Riders Republic, Brawlhalla, Skull & Bones); on immersive fantasy worlds and narrative-driven universes (Anno, Might & Magic, Rayman, Prince of Persia, Beyond Good & Evil), and on casual and family games.
The first major impact of this significant organisational shift is the closure of Ubisoft’s Halifax mobile studio and Stockholm studio, with “restructuring” also confirmed for the publisher’s Abu Dhabi, RedLynx, and Massive teams. It’s unclear how many employees will lose their jobs as result of these changes, but IGN reports the move is also being accompanied by a mandate for all remaining staff to return to in-office work five days a week, albeit with an annual allowance of remote-working days.
Amid this major shake-up, Ubisoft has confirmed the cancellation of six in-development games it says “do not meet the new enhanced quality [and] more selective portfolio prioritisation criteria”. Four of these titles have never been announced (three being new IPs and one a mobile game), and the only cancelled title it has explicitly named is its embattled Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, which was unveiled in 2020, and which has suffered multiple delays in the years since then. When last we heard of the remake, Ubisoft had narrowed its release window down to between 1st January and 31st March 2026. As such, its cancellation is unexpected.
Alongside these cancellations, Ubisoft is delaying seven unspecified games “to ensure enhanced quality benchmarks are fully met” and to “maximise long-term value creation”. Notably, this includes the unannounced game widely believed to be the much-rumoured Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remake – which will now launch in Ubisoft’s next financial year, starting April 2026, rather than the current one it was previously announced for. All this has lead Ubisoft to revise its guidance for the full financial year, saying it now expects net bookings of around €1.5bn – a reduction of €330m.
“These measures mark a decisive turning point for Ubisoft and reflect our determination to confront challenges head-on to reshape the Group for the long term,” Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot wrote in a statement accompanying today’s announcement. “The portfolio refocus will have a significant impact on the Group’s short term financial trajectory, particularly in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, but this reset will strengthen the Group and enable it to renew with sustainable growth and robust cash generation. Ubisoft is entering a new phase – one designed to reclaim creative leadership and build value for players and stakeholders over the long term.”
