In a dramatic corporate overhaul, Ubisoft has announced the cancellation of six video game projects, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, alongside significant studio closures and a strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence and live service models.
Major Restructuring at Ubisoft
The French gaming giant confirmed the cancellation of six titles, the delay of seven others – including the rumoured Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remake – and the closure of two development studios as part of what the company describes as a "major organisational, operational and portfolio reset." This restructuring aims to "reclaim creative leadership, regain agility and drive a sharp rebound" according to official statements.
Studio Closures and Job Impacts
Ubisoft has confirmed the closure of its Stockholm studio and a mobile development studio in Halifax, alongside "restructurings" at Abu Dhabi, RedLynx, and Massive Entertainment locations. These moves signal significant job losses across the organisation as the company streamlines operations.
Strategic Shift Toward AI and Live Service
The company's new direction will focus heavily on "open world adventures and GaaS-native experiences" – referring to games-as-a-service titles – supported by "accelerated investments behind player-facing Generative AI." This represents a clear commitment to artificial intelligence integration despite ongoing fan concerns about AI's role in game development.
Ubisoft appears determined to pursue live service models despite previous failures in this area, with the company stating their focus will be "centred on open world adventures and GaaS-native experiences, supported by targeted investments, deeper specialisation, and cutting-edge technology."
Cancelled and Delayed Projects
Beyond the Prince of Persia remake, the other five cancelled titles remain unannounced but reportedly include three new intellectual properties and a mobile game. The seven delayed projects include what's believed to be the Black Flag remake, described as an "unannounced title initially planned for financial year 2026" now pushed to the following financial year.
New Organisational Structure
Ubisoft is reorganising around five "Creative Houses" – essentially studio collectives taking ownership of specific franchises. The first announced is Vantage Studios, which will handle Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six franchises with the ambitious goal of turning them into "annual billionaire brands."
This represents a significant challenge given that even the successful Assassin's Creed franchise has generated approximately $4 billion over the past decade, suggesting either a dramatic increase in output frequency or revenue expectations.
Financial Background
The restructuring follows years of financial struggles for Ubisoft, including a £1 billion bailout from Chinese publisher Tencent last year as the company attempted to refocus on key franchises. Many of these franchises have remained dormant despite persistent rumours of remakes and sequels.
The company describes its new approach as creating "a more gamer-centric organisation, structured around creative genres, relying on integrated business units with faster, decentralised decision-making and a greater ability to quickly adapt to players' expectations."
Whether this strategic shift toward AI integration and live service models will succeed where previous attempts have failed remains uncertain, but the scale of cancellations, delays, and studio closures indicates Ubisoft is willing to make dramatic changes to reverse its fortunes.
