Three weeks ago, 61 out of the 71 employees at Ubisoft Halifax voted to unionize. Today, all 71 employees are now out of a job. Ubisoft says that they have shut down their Halifax location in order to "streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs." You know, the usual bullshit reason companies give for closing down entire studios.
Ubisoft went on to say that they "are committed to supporting all impacted team members during this transition with resources, including comprehensive severance packages and additional career assistance."
On December 18, 2025, 61 employees at Ubisoft Halifax joined a union. The employees joined with the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada, itself a part of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). This vote to join the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada came about six months after employees first announced their desire to unionize.
Ubisoft claims that the closure of Ubisoft Halifax has nothing to do with the unionization efforts. Ubisoft also says that declining revenues from the Halifax developed Assassin's Creed: Rebellion also played a part in the closure decision. They say that the closure is instead part of a larger restructuring and cost-saving movement within the company. It is also the latest in a string of layoffs and studio closures from Ubisoft that extends in the past by several years.
Ubisoft Halifax was known for working on the Rocksmith series. They more recently released mobile titles such as Assassin's Creed: Rebellion and Rainbow Six Mobile.
