Ubisoft Quebec(French:Ubisoft Québec) is a Canadianvideo game developerand a studio ofUbisoftbased inQuebec City.The studio was established in June 2005 and is best known for its work in theAssassin's Creedfranchise.
 | |
Native name | Ubisoft Québec |
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 27 June 2005 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , Canada |
Number of locations | 2 offices (2019) |
Number of employees | 600[1](2023) |
| Parent | Ubisoft |
| Website | quebec.ubisoft.com |
History
editFrench video game publisherUbisoftannounced its plans to open a development studio inQuebec Cityin April 2005.[2][3]The studio, Ubisoft Quebec, was formally opened on 27 June 2005.[4]Its founders were Nicolas Rioux and Andrée Cossette, of whom Rioux was appointed asgeneral manager.[5][6]In June 2008, Ubisoft Quebec announced that it had established acomputer-generated imageryproduction arm that would work in conjunction with distributorGuillemot.[7]The unit was closed down again with the foundation ofUbisoft Motion Picturesin May 2011.[8]
Longtail Studios's Quebec City development studio was acquired by Ubisoft in March 2010 and merged into Ubisoft Quebec. Forty-eight employees were transferred to Ubisoft Quebec, while another 6–7, including the acquired studio's manager, departed.[9]In June 2013, François Pelland was appointed as Ubisoft Quebec'sexecutive directorof development.[10][11]In September 2013, Ubisoft announced its intent to investCA$373 millionin Ubisoft Quebec over seven years to create up to 500 jobs.[12][13]A first investment ofCA$28 millionin January 2014 opened 100 positions.[14][15]Following onto anotherCA$4 millioninvestment in July 2014, Ubisoft Quebec stated that it would move to new offices in theSaint-Rochneighbourhood of Quebec City and open another 100 positions.[16]
When Rioux became "vice president of technology" for all of Ubisoft's Canadian studios in November 2017, Patrick Klaus was appointed Ubisoft Quebec'smanaging director,with Cossette as associate managing director.[17]In December 2018, Mike Laidlaw joined the studio ascreative director,having previously stepped down from the same position atBioWare,[18]before departing again in February 2020.[19]The Saint-Roch location, known as UbiNord, was opened in April 2019.[20]Cossette succeeded Klaus as managing director in November 2019, after Klaus had left the studio earlier that year.[5][21]Cossette left Ubisoft Quebec in July 2020.[22]
Games developed
editAfter developingexpansion packsforAssassin's Creed IIIandAssassin's Creed IV: Black Flag,Ubisoft Quebec became the first Ubisoft studio outsideUbisoft Montrealto lead the development of a mainlineAssassin's Creedgame.[23][24]The studio's firstAssassin's Creedgame wasAssassin's Creed Syndicate,which was released in October 2015, and continued withAssassin's Creed Odyssey,released in October 2018.[6][25]
The studio ventured into mobile game development, collaborating with Ubisoft Montreal onTom Clancy's Rainbow Six MobileforAndroidandiOS,announced on April 5, 2022.[26]The title is the adapted version for mobile devices ofTom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege,a successfultactical shootergame belonging to theTom Clancy's Rainbow Sixseries, which Ubisoft Montreal released in December 2015 forPCandconsoles.[27]
References
edit- ^"Our Studio".Ubisoft Quebec.
- ^Maragos, Nich (11 April 2005)."Gameloft, Ubisoft Open Quebec City Studios".Gamasutra.Archivedfrom the original on 14 June 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Gibson, Ellie (12 April 2005)."Ubisoft announces plans for new Quebec studio".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 10 June 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Graft, Kris (25 October 2018)."Crunch, work-life balance, andAssassin's Creed Odyssey:A view from the top ".Gamasutra.Archivedfrom the original on 14 July 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^ab"Q&A With Andrée Cossette, Managing Director at Ubisoft Québec".Ubisoft Quebec.27 November 2019.
- ^abTakahashi, Dean (25 November 2015)."How Ubisoft's Quebec City studio became the master of Assassin's Creed: Syndicate".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on 24 December 2016.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Martin, Matt (2 June 2008)."Guillemot to transform Ubisoft with movie, TV and sports projects".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Jenkins, David (3 May 2011)."Ubisoft confirms founding of Ubisoft Motion Pictures".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Ransom-Wiley, James (3 November 2010)."Ubisoft Quebec adds a Longtail studio".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on 6 April 2018.Retrieved25 June2017.
- ^Williams, Mike (4 June 2013)."Ubisoft Quebec appoints new executive director of development".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Hinkle, David (6 May 2013)."Ubisoft Quebec City taps François Pelland as executive director".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on 12 June 2018.Retrieved25 June2017.
- ^Williams, Mike (30 September 2013)."Ubisoft Quebec operations will employ 3,500 by 2020".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Whitehead, Thomas (1 October 2013)."Ubisoft Quebec Planning Major Expansion of Workforce".Nintendo Life.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Handrahan, Matthew (24 January 2014)."Ubisoft to create 100 new jobs in Quebec City studio".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 23 May 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Rose, Mike (24 January 2014)."Ubisoft expanding its development operations in Quebec".Gamasutra.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Brightman, James (2 July 2014)."Ubisoft expands Quebec studio to head production on new Assassin's Creed".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Therrien, Yves (28 November 2017)."Nouvelle direction chez Ubisoft"[New management at Ubisoft].Le Soleil(in French).
- ^Good, Owen S. (5 December 2018)."BioWare veteran Mike Laidlaw joins Ubisoft".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on 6 December 2018.Retrieved6 December2018.
- ^Good, Owen S. (1 February 2020)."Dragon Age creator Mike Laidlaw departs Ubisoft after just a year".Polygon.
- ^"UbiNord Opening: A Monday Like No Other".Ubisoft Quebec.24 April 2019.
- ^Sinclair, Brendan (12 December 2019)."Motive GM establishes means and opportunity".GamesIndustry.biz.
- ^Sinclair, Brendan (24 July 2020)."Ubisoft Quebec managing director steps down".GamesIndustry.biz.
- ^Totilo, Stephen (3 April 2018)."How Ubisoft Makes So ManyAssassin's CreedGames ".Kotaku.Archivedfrom the original on 6 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Champane, Jimmy (2 July 2014)."New Assassin's Creed Game to be Developed by Ubisoft Quebec".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Batchelor, James (26 September 2018)."How Odyssey is changing the face of Assassin's Creed".GamesIndustry.biz.Archivedfrom the original on 10 February 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Ubisoft Québec."This is the beginning of the Rainbow Six Mobile adventure in partnership with Ubisoft Montréal".Twitter.Retrieved19 August2022.
- ^"Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege | Ubisoft (US)".www.ubisoft.com.Retrieved19 August2022.