According to Wccftech, Ubisoft has shut down its Halifax studio, laying off 71 developers. This closure comes just 20 days after the studio announced its staff had successfully voted for a “wall-to-wall” union and joined CWA Canada. The news was first reported by VGC via an internal email, which stated the decision was part of a 24-month effort to “streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.” Ubisoft claims the choice to close the studio was made “well before” the unionization vote by 60 of its staff. CWA Canada has called the move “outrageous” and is consulting legal counsel, promising a full statement after speaking with its Ubisoft members. The studio had just celebrated its 10-year anniversary after being founded in 2015.
The Timing Is Impossible to Ignore
Look, Ubisoft can say the decision was made “well before” the union vote all it wants. But come on. Announcing a closure and 71 layoffs a mere three weeks after a successful union certification? That’s a spectacularly bad look, and it strains credibility. It sends a chilling message to other Ubisoft studios, or any game devs thinking about organizing. CWA Canada’s reaction—shock, disappointment, and immediate legal consultation—tells you everything you need to know about how this is perceived. They’re not buying it, and I don’t blame them. You have to wonder if this is a costly warning shot, meant to discourage union efforts elsewhere in the company’s vast network.
A Broader Pattern of “Streamlining”
Here’s the thing: Ubisoft’s stated reason, that nebulous 24-month plan to streamline and cut costs, isn’t a lie. The entire industry has been in a brutal cost-cutting phase for over a year. Studios are being consolidated and projects are being canceled left and right. So, on one level, shutting down a smaller, support-focused studio like Halifax fits the depressing industry pattern. But that doesn’t make the timing any less suspicious. It creates a perfect cover: they can point to a dozen other closures and say, “See? It’s not about the union, it’s just business.” The problem is, when you combine standard corporate restructuring with anti-union sentiment, you get a situation where workers lose their leverage and their jobs simultaneously. It’s a brutal one-two punch.
What Happens Next?
So what can CWA Canada and the former Halifax devs actually do? The legal battle will likely hinge on Canadian labour laws and whether there’s any evidence the closure decision was accelerated or directly influenced by the union vote. Proving that in court is notoriously difficult. The real fight might be in the court of public opinion. This is a high-profile case that could galvanize the game industry labour movement further, painting Ubisoft as a union-busting villain. That’s a reputation no major publisher wants right now, especially one that relies on creative talent. The fallout won’t just be in Halifax; it’ll be felt in Ubisoft studios in Montreal, Toronto, and beyond. Will other teams look at this and decide unionizing is too risky? Or will they see it as a reason to organize faster and more forcefully?
The Human Cost and Industry Shift
Let’s not forget the 71 people who just lost their jobs right before the holidays. That’s the brutal, human core of this story. They voted for a collective voice to improve their workplace, and instead the workplace vanished. It’s a stark reminder that for all the talk of “family” and “passion” in game dev, it’s still a cutthroat business. This incident feels like a potential inflection point. We’re moving past the phase of voluntary recognition and easy wins for game unions. Now we’re entering a tougher, more adversarial phase where companies may actively resist. The Halifax union’s victory was a headline. Its closure, detailed by VGC, is a much darker, more complicated chapter. The union’s promise to fight, as seen on their Bluesky post, sets the stage for a conflict that could define labour relations in gaming for years to come.
