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Ubisoft studio restructuring reveals which IPs survive - and why

Summary
Ubisoft splits dev teams into autonomous Creative Houses, cancels 6 games, targets €200m in savings
Beyond Good & Evil 2 survives despite nearly 20 years in development and no release window
The restructuring applies a new IP viability filter where sunk cost alone does not guarantee survival
"We remain committed and focused on delivering a remarkable game for our players to enjoy"
— Fawzi Mesmar, Creative Director, Beyond Good & Evil 2
01

Ubisoft studio restructuring creates decentralized Creative Houses

Dev teams now operate as autonomous Creative Houses with greater independence
Restructuring targets €200m in savings, described internally as a final round of cuts
Six games canceled, including Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake
Sunk cost alone did not protect projects; Ubisoft applied a tighter IP viability filter
02

BG&E2 survival reveals legacy IP retention logic

BG&E2 has been in development nearly 20 years, announced 2008, re-revealed 2017
Its survival suggests Ubisoft values long-running brand equity as a strategic asset
Creator Michel Ancel departed in 2020; Mesmar confirms team is "unaffected by the recent changes"
No release window exists, raising questions about what milestone justified continued investment
03

Structural risks the Creative Houses model inherits

Ancel cited management clashes as the core failure driver during his tenure
Decentralization may reduce top-down interference but creates accountability gaps on long-running projects
Mesmar offered reassurance but no production update, milestone, or revised scope
04

What to watch as Creative Houses take shape

If BG&E2 gets a release window, that is the clearest signal Creative House autonomy produces output
If new IPs ship before BG&E2, the model favors fresh bets over legacy rescue
Dev service providers should track which Creative Houses expand outsourcing as autonomy increases budget control
A 20-year project surviving with no release date sets precedent for other long-delayed titles
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