Ubisoft has significantly expanded the remit of Swedish studio Massive Entertainment, the developer behind The Division series, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, transforming it into a second major creative house within the publisher’s reorganised structure. Announced this week, the reorganisation places the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell brands, along with multiple studios around the world, under Massive’s governance, while also confirming the studio’s work on a brand-new original game titled March of Giants.
The move establishes what Ubisoft calls Creative House 2, a cluster of studios that now joins the expanded Massive Entertainment brand. This positions Massive as the publisher’s other multi-franchise-leading subsidiary, complementing the earlier creation of Vantage Studios, which oversees Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. The announcement marks the latest development in Ubisoft’s ongoing restructuring effort, which has been accompanied by a series of layoffs across the company’s global network of studios.
A New Identity for a Decades-Old Studio
Under the reorganisation, Christoph Hartmann, who was appointed general manager of Ubisoft Creative House 2 earlier this year, has become general manager of Massive Entertainment. Hartmann will oversee teams spread across Montréal, Paris, Sweden, and Toronto, bringing together the studios responsible for these iconic franchises.
“The Massive Entertainment brand builds on a nearly three-decade legacy established in Sweden through its games and technology, earning the trust of players and recognition from industry peers alike.”
Massive Entertainment
“Bringing our teams together under one identity gives us the opportunity to combine the creative energy and expertise across Montréal, Paris, Sweden and Toronto to shape the next generation of these iconic franchises, create new games and IPs, and push our craft and technology forward.”
Christoph Hartmann, General Manager of Massive Entertainment
The restructuring follows a pattern established earlier in Ubisoft’s revival efforts. The publisher formed Vantage Studios following a €1.16bn investment from Tencent to oversee its biggest gaming brands. With Massive now elevated to a similar status, Ubisoft has effectively split its creative operations into two major franchises-leading houses, each responsible for shaping the future of its respective portfolio.
Nothing Revealed About March of Giants
Ubisoft confirmed that Massive Entertainment is developing an original game called March of Giants, though it provided no further details beyond the title and confirmation that it represents a new, original game idea. The studio has not disclosed the genre, platform, or potential release window for the project, leaving players and industry observers to speculate about its direction.
The announcement comes as Massive continues to build on the technical foundation established through The Division series, which demonstrated the studio’s expertise in large-scale, live-service open-world design. Industry analysts have suggested that the studio’s expanded resources and access to additional studios could accelerate development on both its existing franchises and new intellectual property.
Layoffs Mark the Restructuring
The reorganisation has been accompanied by several rounds of job cuts across Ubisoft’s global operations. In January, the company closed its Halifax and Stockholm studios and laid off staff at Ubisoft Abu Dhabi, Redlynx, and even Massive Entertainment itself. By March, Ubisoft reportedly let go of 105 staff at Ghost Recon studio Red Storm Entertainment, relegating it to a support role within the new structure.
The cuts continued into the summer, with Ubisoft reportedly shuttering its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and reducing staff at Ubisoft Barcelona in June, amounting to 380 layoffs. These developments have drawn attention as the publisher attempts to streamline its operations while investing in its remaining flagship franchises.
Looking Ahead
As Massive Entertainment settles into its expanded role, the focus now turns to how the studio will coordinate its distributed teams across multiple continents. The governance of both Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell places significant responsibility on Massive, which must balance the maintenance of existing franchises with the development of new intellectual property.
While no release dates have been announced for upcoming Ghost Recon or Splinter Cell titles, or for the mysterious March of Giants, the structural changes signal Ubisoft’s commitment to consolidating its creative power around a smaller number of high-profile projects. The success of this approach will likely depend on whether the expanded Massive Entertainment can deliver on the promise of revitalising its iconic franchises while introducing fresh experiences to players.
Join the conversation