Ubisoft begins voluntary layoff process at Paris headquarters, up to 200 roles affected

Ubisoft has initiated a voluntary layoff process at its Paris headquarters that could affect up to 200 employees, as the video game publisher continues to restructure operations amid rising costs and project cancellations.

The company has begun discussions around a Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC), a French legal mechanism that allows employers and employees to mutually agree on collective, voluntary terminations. According to a report by IGN, the proposed plan applies to staff employed under Ubisoft International with French contracts and does not involve immediate compulsory layoffs.

A Ubisoft spokesperson told IGN that the move aligns with the company’s recently announced operating model and efforts to accelerate cost-reduction initiatives. The spokesperson said the RCC process could involve up to 200 positions at the company’s headquarters in France, though the final number could be lower depending on employee participation.

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At this stage, the plan remains a proposal, and Ubisoft has not clarified how it would proceed if fewer than 200 employees opt into the voluntary program. Any departures would require agreements with employee representatives and approval from relevant authorities, as mandated under French labour law.

The Paris-based restructuring follows a turbulent period for the company. Last week, Ubisoft announced the cancellation of six game projects, including the long-delayed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake. The company has not disclosed details of the other cancelled titles. In addition, seven more games have been pushed back, further reshaping the publisher’s development pipeline.

Industry observers note that the new operating structure could also give Ubisoft greater flexibility to discontinue or divest parts of its business without directly impacting development teams at its core studios.

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The developments come as Ubisoft faces mounting financial pressure, with the company’s share price recently falling to its lowest level since 2011. The voluntary layoffs and project cancellations signal a broader effort by the publisher to stabilise operations and reduce costs in a challenging market environment.