Ubisoft Details Major Restructuring and Bets on AI
The French video game company Ubisoft has announced a profound change in its organizational structure. This plan includes cutting around 1500 jobs, which represents approximately 15% of all its employees. The decision responds to a period of economic results that did not meet expectations and strong competition in the sector. 🎮
A New Strategic Direction for the Company
The central objective is to reorient the business model and significantly reduce operating costs. The strategy is now based on two main pillars: exploiting its intellectual property licenses more and boosting games as a service. To achieve this, the company will prioritize its most established sagas.
Key Franchises in the New Focus:- Assassin's Creed: It will be one of the main multiplatform bets.
- Far Cry: It will be exploited with various continuous monetization models.
- Rainbow Six: It will be boosted as a long-term online service.
The stated goal is to create a more stable and predictable business base.
Artificial Intelligence as a Driver of Change
A fundamental element of this transformation is integrating artificial intelligence tools into all phases of video game production. Ubisoft will invest significantly in its internal technology, Ubisoft La Forge, and in collaborating with other companies specialized in AI.
These systems will be used to streamline repetitive tasks, allowing teams to focus on higher-value creative work. However, this announcement sparks debate about the future of some roles within the industry. 🤖
Areas Where AI Will Be Applied:- Designing game worlds and environments more efficiently.
- Creating assets and graphical elements more quickly.
- Testing and debugging games to detect errors.
Consequences and Future Outlook
As part of this plan, Ubisoft will also reduce its project portfolio. Several titles in development that do not align with the new direction will be canceled or paused. The restructuring promises a more agile and focused Ubisoft. Some analysts wonder if the company can change its course after years of facing difficulties. The sector watches closely as one of its major firms reorganizes for the future.