Ubisoft Montréal is one of the biggest video game studios in the world
Since its inception nearly 12 years ago, today Ubisoft Montréal is one of the largest video game development studios in the world. From 1997 onwards, the studio has developed over 55 titles which have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Initially developing games for children such as Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers, and other games based on the Playmobil toy series, the studio of the French giant helped position Montréal as an international video game cluster after launching the Tom Clancy Splinter Cell series in 2002. Following that release, many of Ubisoft titles have also been successful, such as Assassin's Creed, Rainbow Six Vegas and Prince of Persia.
Employing fewer than 100 people on staff when it was created, the Montréal studio now employs nearly 2,000. Ubisoft continues to pursue and strengthen its growth with the objective of creating another 1,000 jobs by 2013.
According to Yannis Mallat, president and CEO of Ubisoft Montréal, "Ubisoft continues to expand its presence in Canada thanks to a very favourable business climate and the availability of a skilled workforce. Thus far, this expansion has materialized thanks to the establishment of a studio in Quebec City in 2005, the creation of Ubisoft Digital Arts (UDA) in 2007 and the acquisition of Hybride Technologies, a specialist in creating visual effects for film, television and advertising, in 2008. We also recently set up operations on Canada's west coast with the acquisition of developer Action Pants Inc. in Vancouver. This studio, which presently has a staff of 110, specializes in sports games adapted for the Wii console."
Tapping into the next wave of innovation and creativity
Actively involved in developing genuine creative and technological know-how, Ubisoft has become a prime enabler for Canada to establish its presence in a booming market. Part of this rests in the fact that much of the studio's success can immediately be attributed to its unparalled access to some 7,000 IT and multimedia graduates from leading Québec universities.
Ubisoft also recruits from specialized educational colleges such as the National Animation and Design Centre, Collège Bois de Boulogne for 2D training, Inter-Dec College for 2D/2D imaging, and the Institut national de l'image et du son for music training.
In addition, since 2005 the Ubisoft Campus-created in collaboration with the CEGEP du Vieux-Montréal, CEGEP de Matane, Dawson College, the Université de Sherbrooke and the Université de Montréal- has been offering college and university-level training programs in programming, 2D animation, modelling, game level design, and game design. The Ubisoft Campus is the first initiative in Québec and university-level curricula leading to diplomas recognized by the Québec Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sport. Students are given the opportunity to collaborate on various projects simulating the creation and production of a video game, preparing and significantly fast tracking their entrance into the interactive entertainment industry.
Promising future
Despite the fluctuating global economy, total sales for the video game industry are currently expected to reach nearly $68.2 billion by 2012. With this promising outlook in sight, Ubisoft fully intends to remain at the forefront of independent publishers, hiring the most qualified employees to develop the best games - ones that continually and creatively redefine, shape and lead the industry.
A leader in its field, Ubisoft has set its sights on becoming the leading video game development studio in the world.
To learn more about investment opportunities in Canada, consult: www.investincanada.com
Prepared by the Invest in Canada Bureau, Spring 2009
