Ubisoft Hiring For New IP Despite Company Layoffs

Highlights

Ubisoft remains focused on development with new hires, amid layoffs.
Ubisoft is working on a post-apocalyptic IP named “Iridium” with unique gameplay elements.
Despite many layoffs, the gaming industry shows consistent growth and record profits.

Despite laying off 45 employees earlier this week, Ubisoft continues hiring new staff for an unannounced new IP.

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Part of a “cost-cutting plan,” Ubisoft’s layoffs have resulted in almost 1000 people losing their jobs since 2022 across their United States and Asia-Pacific offices. But, that hasn’t deterred them from working on new projects.

Ubisoft started hiring voice actors for its secretive “Iridium” project earlier this March. Now, it’s hiring a “Graphics Team Lead” and a “Lead Animator” for its Canadian and German offices, both for “unannounced projects.”

Details are scarce, but the March casting call revealed that the project is a brand-new post-apocalyptic IP. “Iridium” will reportedly have players visit the remnants of a once great city called “Highpoint City” as protagonist “Whittaker,” a classic “only man for the job.”

But here’s the kicker: Highpoint City is too irradiated for normal humans, so players will have to ditch their flesh-and-blood bodies and get their minds “copied into mechanical Shells, allowing them to explore this hostile landscape.”

The post-apocalyptic, almost sci-fi nature of “Iridium” is a departure from Ubisoft’s usual game design, which has consisted of somewhat grounded games like Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed. And although some parts of each series had a tenuous grasp on reality at times, this is very different.

Given Ubisoft’s secrecy and recent statements on development timelines, “Iridium” will likely not be released or announced soon.

Profits Soar Despite Massive Staff Cuts

Ubisoft’s financial statement showed $2.1 billion in net bookings in May of this year. But, met targets and consistent year-over-year improvements still resulted in many employees losing their jobs.

With tens of thousands of layoffs last year and even more before the end of this year, it might seem like the gaming industry is struggling, but it’s not.

These Constant Layoffs Are Going To Make Games Worse In The Coming Years

The consequences of mass layoffs will be felt in the years to come.

Despite expected growth going down from 2.8% to 2.1%, the industry is projected to bring in $187.7 billion this year; for context, Hollywood is expected to bring in $104.4 billion.

The industry isn’t collapsing or struggling; it’s simply not doing as well as investors expected. Ubisoft isn’t an outlier; it is only another studio bending to the whims of corporate investors. With more power going towards studios with AI use and job shortages, it’s starting to look more like a studio’s market than anything else.

Between record profits and layoffs, we can only hope that the remainder of this year won’t be as grim; and that “Iridium” doesn’t have Assassin’s Creed viewpoints, but I’m not sure which is more unrealistic.