Ubisoft Shuts Down Entire Assassin’s Creed Studio 16 Days After Workers Unionize

On January 8, 2026, 71 employees at Ubisoft Halifax joined a routine online meeting, only to hear their studio would close immediately—16 days after they had voted to form the company’s first union in North America. The sudden announcement plunged the room into stunned silence, igniting debates over whether the move violated Canadian labor protections against retaliation.

Lead programmer Jon Huffman, who had worked at the studio for five years, captured the raw shock. Local managers appeared equally devastated, indicating the order originated from Ubisoft’s corporate headquarters without their input. Employees had no prior indication of the decision, which eliminated every position on the spot.

Union Victory Cut Short

The closure came just after a six-month organizing drive succeeded on December 18, 2025. Of 71 eligible workers, 61—74 percent—voted to join the Game & Media Workers Guild of Canada, certified by the Nova Scotia Labour Board. The group marked the win publicly on December 22, viewing it as a milestone for gaming labor on the continent and a step toward stable collective bargaining.

The brief interval between certification and shutdown drew sharp scrutiny from industry watchers. Ubisoft had withdrawn its legal opposition to the union shortly before the vote, then shuttered the studio entirely. One worker described the sequence as suspicious on social media, echoing concerns that the company timed the closure to sidestep deeper legal scrutiny.

Competing Narratives

CWA Canada President Carmel Smyth challenged Ubisoft to demonstrate the decision was unrelated to union activity. The union filed requests for emails, planning documents, financial records, and executive communications showing the closure predated the June 2025 organizing start. Legal preparations include potential unfair labor practice claims before the Nova Scotia Labour Board.

Company officials denied any link to unionization, stating the restructuring began well before June 2025 as part of a two-year global plan to cut costs and boost efficiency. They cited declining revenue from Assassin’s Creed Rebellion, the studio’s mobile game since 2018, amid shifts toward free-to-play models. Ubisoft promised severance and career support, framing the move as essential amid market changes.

Legal and Industry Context

This shutdown fits Ubisoft’s pattern of reductions totaling 2,500 jobs since September 2022, including 277 in December 2024 after canceling XDefiant and 185 in January 2025 from UK and European sites. Headcount fell eight percent in 2024 as shares dropped from over 100 euros to 6.10 euros. In Nova Scotia, the studio had received $11 million in provincial tax credits over eight years, including $47,791 in 2023-24 and $25,445 in 2022-23, fueling local outrage alongside Microsoft’s 2024 closure of its Alpha Dog studio.

Federal and provincial codes prohibit shutdowns tied to organizing. Employers must prove independent business reasons, with the burden on management to disclose details. Unlike European Ubisoft sites, which offer advance notice, worker consultations, and transfers, Halifax staff received none—prompting questions about inconsistent practices in a globally unionized company.

The episode underscores rising organization amid instability, with nearly 1,600 workers unionizing in 2025. Microsoft now represents over 3,600 union members, including 165 at id Software in December 2025. Efforts echo the United Videogame Workers launch at the March 2025 Game Developers Conference, following 25,000 industry layoffs. Ubisoft Halifax stemmed from Longtail Studios, whose 2008-2009 Quebec union bid failed amid layoffs blamed on economic woes. Nearly two decades later, the pattern repeats, testing labor resolve.

The Fight Ahead

CWA Canada demands reallocation of all 71 workers to Ubisoft’s Canadian, U.S., or European studios. Proceedings could clarify if the closure breached anti-retaliation rules, shaping union futures in gaming as workers weigh organizing risks against gains.

As investigations unfold, the case highlights tensions between corporate efficiency drives and labor rights, potentially influencing how studios handle unions amid ongoing industry turbulence.