Ubisoft Announces 200 Layoffs at Paris Headquarters Following Major Restructuring
Ubisoft is proposing to eliminate nearly 20% of its Paris headquarters workforce through a voluntary severance program, marking the latest round of cost-cutting measures following the company’s major reorganization announced last week.
The Proposal
Ubisoft International has initiated discussions regarding a Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC), a collective voluntary mutual termination agreement that could involve up to 200 positions at its Paris headquarters. Under the RCC framework, employees can agree to leave the company in exchange for a severance package, rather than facing traditional layoffs.
The proposal applies exclusively to Ubisoft International employees with French contracts. According to the company, approximately 1,100 people currently work at the Paris offices, meaning the cuts represent roughly 18% of the local workforce.
Context of Broader Restructuring
This announcement follows Ubisoft’s major organizational reset announced on January 21, 2026, which included:
- Six game cancellations, including the long-anticipated Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake
- Seven game delays, affecting multiple titles in development
- Two studio closures: Halifax and Stockholm operations
- Reorganization into five “Creative Houses” focused on specific game genres
- €200 million in additional cost reductions targeted over the next two years
Voluntary vs. Involuntary Measures
While the RCC process is technically voluntary, questions remain about what happens if insufficient employees accept the severance offer. A recent precedent at Ubisoft Massive shows the company’s approach: when a voluntary career transition program failed to achieve its target numbers, the company proceeded with traditional layoffs eliminating roughly 55 positions. Ubisoft Stockholm was subsequently shut down entirely despite assurances that cuts wouldn’t impact long-term operations.
French Employment Protections
France’s employment framework requires “real and serious cause” for dismissals and mandates that employers limit collective redundancies through redeployment. The RCC process allows companies to negotiate voluntary terminations with unions as an alternative to traditional redundancy procedures—though the process still requires validation by French authorities.
Broader Industry Context
Ubisoft’s global workforce comprises approximately 17,000 employees, and the complete scope of layoffs across all operations remains unclear. The company is simultaneously implementing a mandatory five-day in-office policy, a move that some analysts suggest may influence employee decisions regarding the severance offer.
A statement from French union Solidaires criticized the timing, noting that employees are facing “degraded working conditions next year” and characterizing the severance offer as “an offer they can’t refuse.”
Financial Impact
Ubisoft’s share price dropped sharply following the restructuring announcement, falling more than one-third from €6.64 to €4.20 per share, reflecting market concerns about the company’s strategy and stability.
The Paris headquarters will be refocused on governance, strategic prioritization, and capital allocation under the new organizational model, with the creative houses taking on primary development responsibilities.