Ubisoft Winnipeg

What Ubisoft Winnipeg does

Ubisoft Winnipeg is a wholly-owned game development studio of Ubisoft Entertainment, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Established in 2018, the studio operates with 73 employees as part of Ubisoft's global network of development offices spanning France, Canada, Bulgaria, China, the Philippines, and other markets. The studio functions as a co-development contributor to Ubisoft's flagship franchises, which include Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Prince of Persia, Rayman, and Just Dance, built on shared proprietary technology such as the Snowdrop game engine (developed by Ubisoft Massive) and AI-driven production tools like ZooBuilder. As a subsidiary unit, Winnipeg does not book standalone revenue; its economic activity is captured within Ubisoft Entertainment, a publicly traded corporation on Euronext Paris (ticker: UBI) with 17,000 employees globally, founded in 1986 by the Guillemot brothers.

Ubisoft's commercial model combines one-time game sales across console, PC, and mobile platforms with a subscription offering (Ubisoft+), downloadable content and expansions, cloud streaming licensing (including a 15-year deal for Activision Blizzard titles post-Microsoft close), entertainment extensions (film/TV on Apple TV+ and Netflix, books, merchandise), and location-based VR escape game licensing to entertainment venues worldwide. Distribution runs through Ubisoft Connect, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo, with freemium and freemium-adjacent pricing on Discovery Tour educational products and BattleCore Arena. Customer segments span a global gaming audience as the primary horizontal, plus education (McGill University curriculum partnerships, museum collaborations with the British Library, Musée de l'Homme, Arab World Institute, Smithsonian, Ashmolean Museum, Shangri La Museum, and Museum of Cycladic Art of Athens), location-based entertainment operators (7th Space, Territori VR, Incognito Escape, DreamAway), and entertainment extensions beyond gaming.

Strategic positioning centers on franchise IP, proprietary engine technology, and cross-format ecosystem monetization. Recent corporate moves include the inauguration of a 7,700m² Bordeaux studio (October 2024), the acquisition of March of Giants from Amazon, the launch of Vantage Studios as a dedicated subsidiary for Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six under co-CEOs Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot, and the appointment of Sébastien Froidefond as Chief People Officer (November 2024). The Creative Houses operating model restructure reframes the company around franchise-focused units rather than the historical central studio network. AI investment remains tactical, with ZooBuilder (wildlife animation, ~30% animator time reduction) and the open-sourced Chroma colorblind simulation tool as the named proprietary AI-enabled products.

Name

Ubisoft Winnipeg

Legal name

Ubisoft Entertainment

Website

https://winnipeg.ubisoft.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ubisoft Winnipeg is a 73-person game development studio in Manitoba, Canada, founded in 2018 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ubisoft Entertainment (Euronext Paris: UBI). It co-develops flagship franchises including Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, leveraging Ubisoft's proprietary Snowdrop engine, global distribution network, and franchise IP portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Game Development and Publishing

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

akta.pro primary industry

Game Engine & Creation Platforms (UGC/Modding) (BPAMAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Game Server Hosting & Community Infrastructure (private servers, matchmaking communities) (MPAFAIAF)

Keywords

• Video game development
• AAA game studio
• Digital game distribution
• Game subscription service
• Location-based VR entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreuil

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Game Sales: Full game sales across console, PC, and mobile platforms through retail and digital distribution
2. Subscription Services (Ubisoft+): Subscription-based access to game library including new releases, with tier options like Ubisoft+ Premium
3. Downloadable Content and Expansions: Additional game content including expansion packs (e.g., Assassin's Creed Valhalla Dawn of Ragnarök)
4. Cloud Gaming Rights: Cloud streaming rights to third-party games including Activision Blizzard titles coming to Ubisoft+
5. Entertainment Extensions: Film and television adaptations (Mythic Quest on Apple TV+), books, music soundtracks, merchandise, and collectibles
6. VR Escape Games Licensing: Location-based VR escape games licensed to entertainment venues, arcades, and theme parks worldwide

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ubisoft Winnipeg is a Winnipeg, Manitoba-based game development studio (founded 2018, ~73 employees) that contributes to Ubisoft's portfolio of AAA video game franchises. The parent company Ubisoft develops, publishes, and distributes interactive entertainment including console/PC/mobile games, subscription services (Ubisoft+), VR escape games licensed to entertainment venues, and entertainment extensions (film/TV, books, merchandise, music).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ubisoft+ Subscription Service
• Discovery Tour Educational Games
• Ubisoft Escape Games (VR)
• BattleCore Arena
• Just Dance (China-exclusive Nintendo Switch version)
• Medieval Baghdad Mobile App
• VR Arcade Experience (Smithsonian Age-Old Cities)

Quantifiable outcome

• Discovery Tour used globally in classrooms as educational supplement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered regional, flagship, core and minor.

• Nintendo (China-exclusive Switch)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 December 2020Just Dance released exclusively for China-exclusive version of Nintendo Switch, developed by Ubisoft Shanghai with localized Chinese content including WeChat mini program integration.
• Apple TV+flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMythic Quest, Ubisoft's first live-action comedy series, streams exclusively on Apple TV+. The series was co-created by Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Megan Ganz, produced by Lionsgate, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ubisoft Film & Television.
• McGill University (Technology Learning & Cognition Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop curriculum guides for Discovery Tour educational games, helping teachers and students make the most of Discovery Tour in educational contexts.
• British LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssassin's Creed partnered with British Library for Alexander the Great Exhibition, bringing historical educational content to museum visitors.
• Arab World InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssassin's Creed Origins featured in The Cleopatra Mystery Exhibit and partnership for Baghdad Exhibition at the Arab World Institute.
• Musée de l'HommeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssassin's Creed Origins featured in Musée de l'Homme Mummies Exhibit for educational purposes.
• Shangri La MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssassin's Creed Mirage partnered with Shangri La Museum for Historic Exhibit.
• Museum of Cycladic Art of AthensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssassin's Creed Odyssey and Origins featured at Museum of Cycladic Art of Athens educational exhibit.
• Ashmolean MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssassin's Creed Odyssey partnered with Ashmolean Museum for Mythological Exhibit.
• Girls Who CodeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUbisoft partnered with Girls Who Code for young developers initiative supporting diversity in technology.
• SmithsonianminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUbisoft created VR experience at Smithsonian's Age-Old Cities Exhibition.
• Pure ArtsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollectibles partnership for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced merchandise including figurines and collectibles.
• SubsonicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGaming peripherals partnership featuring Assassin's Creed branded gaming chairs and accessories.
• Titan BooksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial art book publishing partnership for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.
• Red BullminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParkour event partnership for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.
• WiseblockminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBuilding blocks partnership for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced themed construction sets.
• FulllifeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGamewear collection partnership for Assassin's Creed branded clothing.
• VR Arcade Operators (7th Space, Territori VR, Incognito Escape, DreamAway)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVR escape games distributed to entertainment venues globally including 7th Space (Germany), Territori VR (Spain), Incognito Escape (Madrid), and DreamAway (France network).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Activision Blizzard (Microsoft): AAA publisher behind Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch, now owned by Microsoft. Directly comparable on franchise depth, subscription (Game Pass), and high-budget franchise cycle; sources name Activision Blizzard streaming rights as a Ubisoft+ content partner.
• Bandai Namco Entertainment: Global AAA publisher with multi-genre portfolio (Elden Ring co-publishing with FromSoftware, Tekken, Dragon Ball, Pac-Man) and anime IP monetization. Comparable on franchise-driven releases, cross-platform distribution, and entertainment extensions (anime/film).
• Take-Two Interactive: Public AAA publisher (GTA, Red Dead Redemption, NBA 2K) competing in the same premium console/PC segment with episodic, high-budget franchises and recurring consumer spending titles — same go-to-market mechanics as Ubisoft's flagship releases.
• Warner Bros. Games: Publisher of AAA franchises (Mortal Kombat, Hogwarts Legacy, Batman: Arkham) tied to major media IP, comparable to Ubisoft's pattern of building games around film/TV IP and extending franchises across media.
• Capcom: Developer/publisher behind Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter, with successful AAA franchise refreshes on modern hardware. Comparable on premium-priced flagship IP strategy and rising live/recurrent consumer spend.
• Electronic Arts: Major Western AAA publisher with comparable franchise strategy (FIFA/EA Sports FC, Battlefield, Apex Legends), subscription service (EA Play), live-service portfolio, and multi-platform distribution — directly competes with Ubisoft on console/PC and on subscription war with Game Pass.
• Square Enix: Japanese publisher/developer with comparable AAA franchises (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest), narrative-heavy premium games, and IP adaptations across film/merchandise — same model of monetizing flagship IP across formats that Ubisoft pursues with Assassin's Creed and Far Cry.

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft (Xbox Game Studios): First-party AAA studios (Halo, Forza, Fable) plus ZeniMax/Bethesda/Activision acquisitions and the Game Pass subscription flywheel. Directly comparable on AAA production scale and competing for subscription share against Ubisoft+.
• Epic Games: Operator of Fortnite, Unreal Engine, and the Epic Games Store marketplace. Comparable as both a competing platform/storefront (named in the data alongside Steam) and as a creator-facing engine/UGC ecosystem that overlaps with game creation ambitions.
• Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation Studios): First-party AAA producer of narrative single-player franchises (God of War, The Last of Us, Spider-Man) and operator of PS Plus subscription service. Competes in the same AAA premium segment but with controlled platform distribution advantage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3mJXmDmqXLzF-xKxT35Vdg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ubisoft-winnipeg
• Instagraminstagram.com/ubisoftsofia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ubisoft Winnipeg