Ubisoft Rebrands Creative House 2 as Massive Entertainment, Uniting Key Studios Under One Banner

Ubisoft has officially announced that its internal division previously known as Creative House 2 will now operate under the name Massive Entertainment. This rebranding brings together the teams that develop Tom Clancy's The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and the forthcoming original IP titled March of Giants, under the umbrella of the well‑established Swedish studio brand that originally launched the Division franchise.

While the Massive Entertainment label now covers a broader set of locations—including Ubisoft Toronto, as well as development hubs in Paris and Montreal—the original Malmö‑based studio continues to exist as a core component of this newly structured Creative House. The decision to rename the unit reflects Ubisoft's ongoing strategy to give each of its Creative Houses a clear mandate for both the stewardship and long‑term expansion of its flagship brands. Prior to the rebrand, Creative House 2 had been primarily focused on competitive and cooperative shooter experiences, a focus that expanded after Ubisoft acquired the March of Giants project from Amazon. By unifying these disparate teams under the Massive Entertainment banner, Ubisoft aims to streamline creative direction, share technology resources, and foster a cohesive identity that can drive the evolution of its established franchises while also incubating fresh, original titles.

In a formal statement, Ubisoft explained that "starting today, development teams responsible for these franchises in Montréal, Paris, Sweden, and Toronto will operate under the Massive Entertainment brand, bringing together their creative and technology expertise to shape its future, grow these franchises and craft challenging experiences for dedicated player communities." The company highlighted that this structural shift will enable the combined studios to leverage each other's strengths—whether that be the narrative depth of The Division, the tactical gameplay of Ghost Recon, the stealth mechanics of Splinter Cell, or the innovative concepts behind the upcoming March of Giants. The newly named Massive Entertainment will be led by veteran executive Christoph Hartmann, who took over as General Manager in June after departing Amazon Game Studios. Hartmann brings a wealth of experience, having previously founded and led 2K Games. Complementing his leadership, Natalie Francis has been appointed studio manager for the Malmö office; she joins from senior positions at Avalanche Studios and DICE, adding further expertise in large‑scale game production.

Massive Entertainment’s history dates back to its founding in 1997 in Malmö, Sweden. Ubisoft acquired the studio in 2008 after it was divested by Activision during the latter’s purchase of Vivendi.

Over the years, the studio earned a reputation for titles such as Ground Control and World in Conflict before becoming synonymous with The Division series. More recently, Massive has contributed to high‑profile projects like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws, and it is the creator of the Snowdrop engine—a versatile technology platform used across many Ubisoft franchises.

In early 2024, the studio, along with Ubisoft Stockholm, faced layoffs while working on an "unannounced innovative tech project," underscoring the volatile nature of the industry. Hartmann emphasized the strategic importance of the rebrand, stating, "Massive Entertainment has always been defined by passion, ambition and incredible talent, and our focus now is on what comes next. Bringing our teams together under one identity gives us the opportunity to combine the creative energy and expertise across Montréal, Paris, Sweden and Toronto to shape the next generation of these iconic franchises, create new games and IPs, and push our craft and technology forward." This sentiment captures Ubisoft's broader ambition to not only sustain its existing portfolio but also to explore new creative horizons. The restructuring into Creative Houses is slated for completion by late 2025, with the final details confirmed in January 2026.

Ubisoft has now appointed leaders for all houses except Creative House 4. Julien Bares has been confirmed as General Manager for Creative Houses 3 and 5, while Thomas Andrén oversees the centralized production resource known as the Creative Network. The current organizational layout is as follows: - Vantage Studios (joint venture with Tencent): Co‑CEOs Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot; brands include Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six; studios located in Barcelona, Montreal, Quebec, Saguenay, Sherbrooke, Sofia.

- Massive Entertainment: General Manager Christoph Hartmann; brands include Tom Clancy's The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, March of Giants, and an unspecified new IP; studios in Paris, Malmö, Montreal, Toronto. - Creative House 3: General Manager Julien Bares (shared with House 5); brands such as Brawlhalla, For Honor, Riders Republic, Skull and Bones, The Crew; studios include Blue Mammoth, Ivory Tower, Montreal.

- Creative House 4: General Manager position pending; brands include Anno, Beyond Good and Evil, Heroes of Might and Magic, Prince of Persia, Rayman; studios in Mainz, Milan, Montpellier, Nadeo. - Creative House 5: General Manager Julien Bares (shared with House 3); brands include Growtopia and the Hasbro portfolio; studios across Abu Dhabi, Barcelona Mobile, Ketchapp, Kalibri Games, Paris, Ubisoft Mobile Games, Ubisoft Paris Mobile. - Creative Network: General Manager Thomas Andrén; purpose is central production support; studios spread across Annecy, Berlin, Bordeaux, Chengdu, Da Nang, Düsseldorf, Kyiv/Odessa/Warsaw, Paris, Pune, Manila, RedLynx, Red Storm, Reflections, Romania, Shanghai, Singapore.

The shift to the Creative Houses model was initially introduced amid a period of delayed releases, cancelled projects, and what Ubisoft described as a "final" round of cost‑cutting after several years of underperformance. This restructuring has already seen the closure of studios in Belgrade, Halifax, Leamington, Stockholm, and Winnipeg, as well as widespread layoffs throughout its global operations. Ubisoft has not confirmed whether these reductions are now complete, but the rebranding of Creative House 2 to Massive Entertainment signals a renewed focus on consolidating talent, streamlining development pipelines, and delivering both beloved legacy franchises and innovative new experiences to its player base.