51 Ubisoft employees who worked on the successful Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced have just been laid off

Q: Are the Barcelona layoffs tied to the closure of other Ubisoft studios mentioned in TweakTown coverage, like Winnipeg and Belgrade?

The article does not say the Barcelona layoffs were directly tied to the Winnipeg and Belgrade closures. It frames Barcelona’s disbanding as another instance of Ubisoft’s ongoing restructuring and cost cutting, but does not link those specific studio closures as the cause.

You guys just worked on the new Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced that just launched to a positive reception? Congrats, you've been laid off!

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Hassam Nasir

Tech Reporter

Published Jul 9, 2026 6:40 PM CDT

3-minute read time

TL;DR: Ubisoft Barcelona was closed and 51 employees-many who worked for years on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced-were laid off days after the remake's successful launch. Sources say the cuts were planned regardless of performance; Ubisoft has been restructuring, reducing headcount about 20% since 2022.

Voice: Hassam NasirSpeed

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Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced launched this week to some of the best numbers Ubisoft has seen in years. However, it looks like Ubisoft still isn't content with its workforce, as 51 people just lost their jobs.

According to Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson, Ubisoft Barcelona has been disbanded, with 51 employees let go days after the studio finished its work on the remake. Many of them had spent years on the project. Sources told Henderson the layoffs felt planned well in advance and were going to happen no matter how the game performed.

Apparently, Ubisoft typically lines up a new project for a team before their current one wraps, sometimes a year ahead of time. The Barcelona team reportedly raised concerns as far back as summer 2025 that no new assignment had come through, and nothing ever did. The studio's launch celebration was also reportedly downgraded to a small in-office gathering instead of a proper event.

51 Ubisoft employees who worked on the successful Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced have just been laid off 1

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The timing of these layoffs really stings because Resynced isn't struggling. We covered how it was the #1 pre-ordered game across most tracked PlayStation Store regions ahead of launch, and it went on to outsell AC Shadows by 5x on Steam during the pre-release window alone. This was shaping up to be exactly the kind of win Ubisoft badly needed.

Unfortunately, none of that seems to matter much when it comes to how Ubisoft manages its workforce lately. The publisher has been mid-restructuring for years now, closing studios and cutting jobs on a near-constant basis. We've tracked Ubisoft San Francisco losing around 100 more jobs just weeks ago, on the heels of Winnipeg and Belgrade being shut down entirely.

51 Ubisoft employees who worked on the successful Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced have just been laid off 2

Ubisoft's headcount has dropped by roughly 20% since 2022, and the company has said cost-cutting will continue through 2028. What makes the Barcelona cuts stand out is that they undercut Ubisoft's own narrative. A successful, well-reviewed launch was supposed to be proof that the company could still deliver. Instead, it's another reminder that shipping a hit doesn't guarantee job security anywhere in this industry right now, Ubisoft included.

These layoffs are part of a rough stretch for the entire industry. Xbox is in the middle of its own 3,200-person restructuring, with cuts already hitting nearly half of id Software's staff and Bethesda's Elder Scrolls Online team, all despite Xbox CEO Asha Sharma insisting no announced projects were being canceled. It's part of a wider pattern this year, with Sony, EA, and countless smaller studios all announcing their own rounds of cuts alongside Ubisoft's.

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

Is Ubisoft planning to reassign remaining Barcelona staff to other studios or remote projects?

No. The article says Ubisoft Barcelona has been disbanded and 51 employees were let go after finishing the project. Sources report the Barcelona team raised concerns that no new assignment had been lined up and nothing ever came through.

Answered

Question #2

Has Ubisoft provided an official reason or timeline for disbanding the Barcelona studio beyond company-wide cost-cutting?

No. The article does not report any official Ubisoft reason or timeline specific to disbanding the Barcelona studio beyond the company-wide cost-cutting narrative. It only notes Ubisoft has said cost-cutting will continue through 2028 and that sources claimed the Barcelona layoffs felt planned well in advance.

Answered

Question #3

Are the Barcelona layoffs tied to the closure of other Ubisoft studios mentioned in TweakTown coverage, like Winnipeg and Belgrade?

Question #4

What legal or union actions have Barcelona employees taken so far, and how might that affect future staffing decisions?

Barcelona employees have announced strikes in protest of the layoffs; no legal actions are reported in the article. It is unclear whether those strikes will change anything or affect future staffing decisions.

Answered

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