The closure of the studio comes after 74 per cent of the staff voted in December to join media union CWA Canada, creating a unit with roughly 60 unionized staff members. The closure will affect 71 positions. In a statement, Ubisoft said the decision to shutter the studio was part of a cost-cutting effort that began two years ago. (The Logic, Game Developer)

Talking point: The Halifax studio, which opened in 2016, specialized in mobile free-to-play games including Rainbow Six Mobile and Assassin’s Creed Rebellion. Ubisoft instituted company-wide layoffs resulting in an eight per cent decrease in headcount in 2024. In 2023, more than a dozen at Keyword Studios Edmonton were dismissed after a successful unionization effort at the game testing company. London, Ont.-based Joydrop laid off much of its staff after it voted to unionize in 2024.