Ubisoft has announced that Massive Entertainment, the studio behind Tom Clancy’s The Division and Star Wars Outlaws, will now serve as the global label overseeing several of its most prominent franchises. The publisher confirmed that development teams responsible for Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell, along with at least one original title, the dieselpunk MOBA March of Giants, will operate under the Massive Entertainment brand, consolidating creative and technical expertise across Montreal, Paris, Sweden, and Toronto.
The restructure marks a significant expansion of Massive Entertainment’s responsibilities within Ubisoft’s ongoing reorganization into a network of “creative houses.” This follows a major funding injection from Tencent in March 2025, which enabled the founding of a dedicated creative house for Ubisoft’s most valuable brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six.
A Consolidation of Creative Power
As of today, Massive Entertainment is taking charge of the subsidiary previously known as “creative house 2,” with Christoph Hartmann serving as general manager. Hartmann, who joined Ubisoft earlier this year after stints at Amazon and 2K, now oversees the expanded portfolio. Ubisoft has stated that development teams across multiple regions will now operate under the Massive Entertainment brand, bringing together their creative and technology expertise to shape the future of these franchises.
“Starting today, development teams responsible for these franchises in Montréal, Paris, Sweden, and Toronto will operate under the Massive Entertainment brand, bringing together their creative and technology expertise to shape its future, grow these franchises and craft challenging experiences for dedicated player communities.”
Ubisoft press release
While the restructuring has led to mass layoffs, closures, and cancellations across Ubisoft, the publisher has not announced additional workforce reductions in connection with this particular move. Workers in creative houses outside the Tencent-backed subsidiary have faced greater uncertainty, with Ubisoft staff going on strike earlier this year to protest against job losses and associated return-to-office policy changes.
What This Means for Existing Franchises
Among the projects swept up in this reorganization is Ubisoft Toronto’s remake of the first Splinter Cell. The studio recently trimmed its team by 40 people, though Ubisoft has promised the remake has not been cancelled. Last July, the publisher also confirmed that a new Ghost Recon is on the way, adding to the expectations surrounding Massive Entertainment’s expanded role.
The consolidation places significant responsibility on Massive Entertainment, which has built a reputation for delivering polished, narrative-driven experiences. The studio’s technical expertise is expected to benefit the franchises now under its purview, though questions remain about how the reorganization will affect the developers working on affected teams.
A New Original Title
Beyond the established franchises, Massive Entertainment will also oversee March of Giants, an original dieselpunk MOBA that offers a fresh take on the genre. The game features a 4v4 format in which each player controls a giant, leading thousands of creeps—computer-controlled NPCs—into battle. The title has a Steam page open, with developers accepting playtest applicants as it moves toward development.
The dieselpunk setting distinguishes March of Giants from other MOBAs, though the mechanics will ultimately determine its success. With playtest applications now open, players and critics alike will be watching closely to see whether Massive Entertainment can translate its technical prowess into a compelling original experience.
Looking Ahead
As Ubisoft continues to refine its creative house structure, the expansion of Massive Entertainment’s responsibilities represents a pivotal moment for the publisher. The studio now holds the reins over some of gaming’s most enduring franchises, alongside a promising original title. Whether this consolidation delivers on its promise of stronger, more cohesive experiences remains to be seen, but the stakes have never been higher for both Ubisoft and its dedicated player communities.
1 comment