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Ubisoft Barcelona Cuts 51 Jobs on Assassin’s Creed Launch

7/10/2026

Summary

Ubisoft Barcelona Layoffs

Ubisoft Barcelona laid off 51 employees on July 9 2026, the launch day of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.
The strike ran on Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 30 to July 16, covering the launch day.
Workers demanded job protection, restored promotions, work-from-home options, and salary-benefit adjustments.
Earlier in 2026 Ubisoft cut 40 staff on Toronto’s Splinter Cell Remake and 100 at Red Storm Entertainment.

Summary

Dubai Launches Resynced

Dubai Films and Games Commission hosted its first public event, a midnight launch of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced with Ubisoft.
Games Commissioner Faisal Kazim said the partnership reinforces Dubai’s aim to become a leading international gaming hub, while Ubisoft’s Gareth Evans highlighted the remake’s 34 million-player history.
The game had already gathered over one million wishlists on PlayStation 5, Xbox and PC, supporting Dubai’s creative-economy strategy.

History

Historical Context

Dubai’s diversification began with the September 2004 launch of Dubai Internet City, a free-zone that helped grow non-oil foreign trade to $362 billion by 2014. That ecosystem attracted Ubisoft, which expanded a Barcelona studio but dismissed 51 workers in July 2026 amid the Games Commission’s partnership with filmmaker Gareth Evans. The episode shows how the free-zone model fuels growth while exposing labor-rights challenges.

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Ubisoft Barcelona Layoffs

Ubisoft Barcelona laid off 51 employees on July 9 2026, the launch day of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.
The strike ran on Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 30 to July 16, covering the launch day.
Workers demanded job protection, restored promotions, work-from-home options, and salary-benefit adjustments.
Earlier in 2026 Ubisoft cut 40 staff on Toronto’s Splinter Cell Remake and 100 at Red Storm Entertainment.

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