Ubisoft Montreal
A major Ubisoft game-development studio in Montreal, known for leading work on Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell, Prince of Persia, Watch Dogs, and For Honor.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Ubisoft Montreal is a Canadian video-game development studio operated by Ubisoft Entertainment. Formally established as Ubisoft Divertissements Inc. on 25 April 1997, the studio was created during Ubisoft's international expansion, with financial and employment support from the governments of Quebec, Montreal, and Canada. It began in the Mile End district in a former textile building and initially employed about 50 people. The early team produced licensed children's titles, including games connected with Donald Duck and Playmobil. Although these projects were not the studio's defining creative achievements, they generated revenue and helped the team build production capabilities. The studio's first major breakthrough was Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, released in 2002. The project combined work transferred from an abandoned Ubisoft initiative with Ubisoft Montreal's experiments in stealth gameplay, modern espionage equipment, and the Tom Clancy brand. Its success established the studio as a significant AAA developer. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time followed in 2003, reworking the formerly two-dimensional platform series as a cinematic three-dimensional action-adventure game built around acrobatic movement, time manipulation, and environmental traversal. The title was both critically and commercially successful and led to several follow-up games. Assassin's Creed grew out of an early concept for a new Prince of Persia project. The team imagined an open-world game centered on an Assassin protecting a prince during the Third Crusade. When Ubisoft decided that the concept should not remain a Prince of Persia title, it became a new intellectual property. The first Assassin's Creed launched in 2007 and developed into one of Ubisoft's principal global franchises. Ubisoft Montreal subsequently contributed to numerous entries and related projects, although individual games in the franchise have also been produced with support from other Ubisoft studios. The studio also became a leading developer of Far Cry. Following Ubisoft's relationship with Crytek and the original Far Cry, Ubisoft Montreal worked on console-oriented development and expanded the technology into the proprietary Dunia engine. Far Cry 2, released in 2008, began the studio's major direct contribution to the later Far Cry line. Other original properties followed. Watch Dogs, released in 2014, used an urban open-world setting and made hacking, surveillance, and network control central to its gameplay. For Honor, released in 2017, introduced multiplayer melee combat involving warriors inspired by different historical traditions and became the studio's first major project designed around continuing seasonal content. The studio has also worked on Rainbow Six, Child of Light, Transference, Roller Champions, mobile games, and other Ubisoft projects. Ubisoft Montreal's growth has been closely connected to Montreal's emergence as an international game-development center. Public support for expansion helped the studio grow from a small start-up operation into one of the world's largest game-development facilities. The studio's presence encouraged other publishers and developers, including Electronic Arts, Eidos, THQ, and Warner Bros., to establish operations in the region. By October 2022 it employed more than 4,000 people, and reference material describes it as having more than 4,000 employees in 2023. In 2013, Ubisoft acquired THQ Montreal and integrated it into Ubisoft Montreal. The studio later expanded into mobile development with Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile, announced in 2022. It released Assassin's Creed Shadows in 2025 and has been associated with development of Assassin's Creed Hexe. Its present identity is that of a large, multi-project Ubisoft production center specializing in premium console and PC games, live-service support, franchise development, and selected mobile projects.
History
Ubisoft Montreal was founded on 25 April 1997 as Ubisoft Divertissements Inc. during Ubisoft's effort to establish development capacity outside France. Quebec and Canadian authorities supported the project through employment and training incentives intended to create multimedia jobs. The studio opened in Montreal's Mile End district, initially combining personnel transferred from Ubisoft's Montreuil headquarters with newly hired local staff. Its first assignments were licensed children's games based on established entertainment and toy properties. The studio's transformation began with Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. Ubisoft Montreal incorporated ideas and development material from an earlier Ubisoft project and used the Tom Clancy licence and associated technology to build a stealth-focused action game. The 2002 release was a major success. In 2003, the studio released Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a substantial redesign of the classic platform series. Its three-dimensional environments, acrobatic movement, and time-reversal mechanics gave Ubisoft Montreal a reputation for polished cinematic action-adventure games. Assassin's Creed emerged from a proposed next-generation Prince of Persia project. The original concept shifted toward an open-world game about an Assassin operating during the Third Crusade. Ubisoft ultimately treated the idea as a new property, and the first Assassin's Creed appeared in 2007. The franchise became a long-running pillar of Ubisoft's portfolio. Ubisoft Montreal also took a leading role in Far Cry development, creating Far Cry 2 and working with technology that evolved into the Dunia engine. These projects helped define the studio's emphasis on large environments, systemic gameplay, and exploration. During the late 2000s and 2010s, Ubisoft Montreal expanded its output across established and original properties. It contributed to Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six, Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed, and Far Cry, and introduced Watch Dogs in 2014. Watch Dogs distinguished its modern open world through hacking and surveillance mechanics. Child of Light demonstrated a different, stylized form of role-playing adventure, while For Honor, released in 2017, represented a move into persistent multiplayer support and seasonal content. The studio also worked on Transference and Roller Champions and increasingly collaborated with other Ubisoft teams on franchise production. The studio's growth affected Montreal's wider technology and creative economy. Ubisoft Montreal helped attract additional publishers and developers to the city and contributed to a regional ecosystem supported by public incentives. Ubisoft opened related studios in Quebec City and Saguenay, partly complementing Montreal's production efforts. In 2013, Ubisoft acquired THQ Montreal and integrated it into the studio. By the early 2020s, Ubisoft Montreal had become one of the world's largest game-development facilities, with more than 4,000 employees reported in 2022 and 2023. Leadership changed in 2020 when Yannis Mallat left Ubisoft after misconduct allegations and internal investigations involving the wider company. Christophe Derennes was named to lead Ubisoft's Canadian studios. Ubisoft Montreal later expanded into mobile development, announcing Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile in 2022. The studio released Assassin's Creed Shadows in 2025 and remains associated with further franchise development, including Assassin's Creed Hexe. Its historical trajectory runs from subsidized local start-up, through licensed family software and breakthrough franchise work, to a large international production center with responsibilities across premium games, multiplayer services, and mobile adaptations.
- 2025
Assassin's Creed Shadows released
[1]The studio released Assassin's Creed Shadows and continued work on other Assassin's Creed projects.
- 2022
Rainbow Six Mobile announced
[1]The studio announced a mobile adaptation of Rainbow Six Siege for Android and iOS.
- 2017
For Honor released
[1]Ubisoft Montreal entered a major ongoing multiplayer format with seasonal content.
- 2014
Watch Dogs released
[1]The studio introduced an urban open-world property centered on hacking and surveillance.
- 2013
THQ Montreal acquired and integrated
[1]Ubisoft combined the acquired THQ Montreal operation with Ubisoft Montreal.
- 2007
Assassin's Creed introduced
[1]The studio launched a new open-world historical action franchise that became central to Ubisoft's business.
- 2003
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time released
[1]The studio reinvented Prince of Persia as a three-dimensional action-adventure game.
- 2002
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell released
[1]The stealth action game became Ubisoft Montreal's first major international breakthrough.
- 1997
Studio founded in Montreal
[1]Ubisoft established Ubisoft Divertissements Inc. in Montreal with support from Quebec, Montreal, and Canadian employment initiatives.
Products and positioning
A large-scale AAA game-development studio focused on globally distributed Ubisoft franchises, open-world design, historically themed settings, tactical gameplay, and long-term multiplayer support.
Open-world historical action-adventure · 2007
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed began as an evolution of a Prince of Persia concept and became Ubisoft Montreal's most prominent original franchise. Its games combine open-world exploration, stealth, parkour, melee combat, and historical settings. Ubisoft Montreal has led or substantially contributed to numerous entries, while other Ubisoft studios have also participated in the series.
Open-world first-person shooter · 2005
Far Cry
Ubisoft Montreal became a principal Far Cry developer after Ubisoft obtained rights connected with the original game and its technology. Far Cry 2 marked a major studio contribution and used technology developed into Ubisoft's Dunia engine. The studio later contributed to additional entries and franchise development.
Stealth action game · 2002
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Splinter Cell was Ubisoft Montreal's breakthrough franchise. The series focuses on covert operations, espionage equipment, infiltration, and tactical stealth. Montreal developed the original game and several sequels through 2010, establishing expertise that influenced the studio's later action and tactical projects.
Tactical shooter · 2003
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
Ubisoft Montreal has been a principal developer of Rainbow Six titles, including work connected with the tactical-shooter line and Rainbow Six Siege. The franchise emphasizes team coordination, specialized operators, map knowledge, and tactical planning. The studio later adapted the property for mobile platforms.
Action-adventure · 2003
Prince of Persia
The studio's defining Prince of Persia project was The Sands of Time, which translated the series into a cinematic three-dimensional adventure built around acrobatics, environmental puzzles, combat, and a time-reversal mechanic. Ubisoft Montreal also contributed to subsequent Prince of Persia projects.
Open-world action-adventure · 2014
Watch Dogs
Watch Dogs introduced a contemporary urban open world in which hacking and surveillance systems formed the central gameplay identity. The series gave Ubisoft Montreal a modern setting distinct from its historical and wilderness franchises and was followed by additional entries and related development work.
Multiplayer action combat · 2017
For Honor
For Honor is a multiplayer combat game featuring warriors inspired by several historical traditions. Its directional melee system and continuing seasonal content represented Ubisoft Montreal's move into a long-term service model rather than a solely boxed single-player release.
Role-playing adventure · 2014
Child of Light
Child of Light is a stylized role-playing adventure developed by Ubisoft Montreal. It uses a storybook-inspired visual presentation and combines exploration with turn-based combat, showing the studio's ability to work outside its largest open-world franchises.
Mobile tactical shooter · 2022
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile
Rainbow Six Mobile is a mobile adaptation of the Rainbow Six Siege formula announced for Android and iOS. It extends Ubisoft Montreal's tactical-shooter work to mobile devices and is designed around operator-based competitive play.
Controversies
2020
Misconduct allegations and leadership departure
During a wider wave of sexual-misconduct allegations involving Ubisoft personnel, Yannis Mallat, who led Ubisoft's Canadian studios, stepped down and left the company on 11 July 2020. The company announced internal investigations and voluntary workplace measures; Christophe Derennes was named as his replacement.
Brand decisions
2022
Extend Rainbow Six to mobileProduct launchBackground
Ubisoft sought to adapt established franchises for mobile audiences.
Action taken
Ubisoft Montreal announced Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile for Android and iOS.
Aftermath
The announcement expanded the studio's stated development scope into mobile tactical games.
2017
Adopt an ongoing multiplayer model with For HonorStrategyBackground
The studio wanted to broaden its portfolio beyond conventional single-player and boxed action-adventure releases.
Action taken
Ubisoft Montreal released For Honor as a multiplayer combat game supported by continuing seasonal content.
Aftermath
For Honor became the studio's principal example of a persistent content and live-service approach.
2013
Integrate THQ MontrealM&ABackground
THQ Montreal became available during the restructuring of its parent company.
Action taken
Ubisoft acquired THQ Montreal and merged it into Ubisoft Montreal.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded Ubisoft's Montreal development organization.
2007
Convert a Prince of Persia concept into Assassin's CreedProduct launchBackground
A proposed next-generation Prince of Persia project shifted toward an open-world game focused on an Assassin rather than the traditional Prince character.
Action taken
Ubisoft reworked the concept as a new intellectual property and released the first Assassin's Creed.
Aftermath
Assassin's Creed became one of Ubisoft's principal franchises and a long-term focus of Ubisoft Montreal.
1997
Establish a subsidized Montreal development centerStrategyBackground
Ubisoft sought international development capacity and access to French-speaking talent, while Quebec and Montreal sought technology and multimedia employment.
Action taken
Ubisoft created Ubisoft Divertissements Inc. in Montreal with public employment and training support.
Aftermath
The initiative became the foundation of a large studio and contributed to Montreal's emergence as a major video-game development hub.
Sources2 sources
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