Ubisoft Opens Mid East Studio in Abu Dhabi

OCT. 25, 2011 • Abu Dhabi was chosen as the location for the latest of Ubisoft’s development studios, set to open in December. Yannick Theler, a 10-year veteran with the publisher, will head the new studio. In addition to creating games, the Abu Dhabi operation will also train local talent in cooperation with twofour54, Ubisoft’s media partner in the venture. Impact: A lot of lip s.....

Ubisoft U-play Passport System

JULY 15, 2011 • Ubisoft U-Play will use a DLC passport system for its core game titles. Titles by the publisher purchased used will require a $9.95 fee to access multiplayer matchmaking and additional content if the original code was redeemed. Impact: EA did it. THQ did it. It seems everybody’s going to eventually do it: requiring a new game purchase, or charge second hand purchasers a fee,.....

Owlient Goes to Ubisoft

JULY 12, 2011 • Another major publisher bent on acquiring free-to-play studio expertise is Ubisoft. The company acquired  Paris-based studio Owlient, which has been has been creating F2P content for six years, and has amassed over 25 million user registrations in that period. Owli.....

Ubisoft Gets Ontario Funds

JULY 6, 2009 • The Canadian provincial government of Ontario is investing $263 million during the next 10 years to help Ubisoft Entertainment set up a game development studio in Toronto. Ubisoft will invest $500 million of its own funds to launch the new studio, which is expected to create 800 jobs by 2019. In addit.....

Take-Two In Talks With Ubisoft

JUNE 10, 2008 • While Take-Two Interactive’s board of directors holds out for a better cash offer from Electronic Arts, Forbes magazine speculated that the former is negotiating with another takeover suitor: Ubisoft. During a June 5 financial conference call, Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick admitted he had held discussions with other interested parties. Ubisoft declined to comment. Impact: Ubisoft has a better reputation for working with acqu.....