Ubisoft opening studio in Toronto, continuing to take over Canada [Update]
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Jul 6th 2009 at 1:35PM }
The focus of the studio, the number of jobs it will bring to Ontario and projects it will be tasked with developing are still unknown, though Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat are expected to make a detailed formal announcement later today. Heck, we don't even know what the new studio will be called -- hopefully it'll break from the "Ubisoft + Territory Name" formula the company has used so many times in the past. C'mon, guys! Get original!
Update: Sure enough, McGuinty and Mallat's press conference pulled the veil off of Ubisoft Toronto (ugh!), a new studio which will open up 800 new jobs to the area over the next decade. The new studio will be headed up by Mallat himself, and "will work on Triple-A games" as well as "build on the city's existing experience with the film production industry." Ubisoft has been boasting its digital effects work in films lately -- this new studio will likely lend even more pizzazz to Canadian-made movies. We've got an interview scheduled with Mallat later today, so stay tuned for more specific details.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cam @ Jul 6th 2009 1:46PM
SOOOOOO SICK! I'm in Toronto taking a programming apprenticeship in two years and I wanna go there!! SO SO SO SO GOOD
SmittyT_Hawk22 @ Jul 6th 2009 2:08PM
That's cool with the programming apprenticeship.
Anyways Ubisoft Toronto is the name. Making Triple AAA titles is there game lol
mutd1999 @ Jul 6th 2009 3:31PM
Good luck with that. The problem is, most game studious require Bachelors degrees in Computer Science when it comes to Programming.
Cam @ Jul 6th 2009 9:00PM
sorry not apprenticeship, The program IS a bachelors in computer science with a 4 month internship. I was meant to say Internship not apprenticeship. I would love to work there.
blackric @ Jul 6th 2009 2:18PM
As a fellow Torontonian, this is great news. Sure beats the terrible news of studio closings this year.
Now fix the damn trash strike. The city smells like a dump.
james @ Jul 6th 2009 2:38PM
its getting fuckin disgusting eh
EMaster @ Jul 6th 2009 3:37PM
Good Thing I live in Etobicoke where our trash pickup is privatized out of the GTA... Still sucks though when go downtown... and don't EVEN THINK about going near Spadina!!! It's Toxic!
Jimbotron @ Jul 6th 2009 4:12PM
Fixing the trash strike won't change that. It's always stunk in Toronto.
Indiscretion @ Jul 6th 2009 2:26PM
too bad they wont have the studio open by the time i visit in august..would be nice to put in a resume
james @ Jul 6th 2009 2:37PM
fuck ya. man im in toronto and i would fuckin love to work there.
arrrgh @ Jul 6th 2009 2:40PM
Niiiiice
being already in the VFX industry I cant wait to see where they set up shop :) all the vfx shops in this city are mega greedy
Steph @ Jul 6th 2009 3:03PM
Damnit I wish a good game developer would open an Office in Ottawa. I don't want to have to move to Toronto or Montreal.
Good for Toronto though.
Brandon @ Jul 6th 2009 3:35PM
Come to Vancouver instead. While here, you can smell some fresh air.
MRod @ Jul 6th 2009 3:32PM
From what I know, they didn't actually 'build' Ubisoft in Vancouver. They acquired an existing one. A bit of a disappointment since nothing really changed. Hopefully, this is different...
TRON.dll @ Jul 6th 2009 4:06PM
Tron 2 is being filmed in Canada, any word of Ubisoft helping? lol
Wardo @ Jul 6th 2009 4:47PM
I'm curious where the studio will be exactly. I live downtown and would love to see a big Ubisoft Toronto building every time I go for a walk.
In any case, this is great news for Toronto and Canada who continue to be one of the major players in the game industry!
Huey2k2 @ Jul 6th 2009 9:20PM
My new future employer perhaps?
Randomtext @ Jul 7th 2009 11:07AM
Finally, I hope they have a need for scaleform guys I've been wanting to do that for awhile now just little or no opportunity in this city for game developers save few independent's who cant guarantee a salary. Worst place to be a game developer in Canada just got a little bit better.(hopefully a lot)