Ubisoft has disclosed that its internal division previously known as Creative House 2 – the hub for Tom Clancy titles such as The Division, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell, as well as upcoming original projects like March of Giants – will now operate under the banner of Massive Entertainment. The rebranding revives the 29‑year‑old moniker of the Swedish studio that originally launched the Division franchise, while the original Massive studio remains part of the broader Creative House network alongside Ubisoft Toronto and satellite teams in Paris and Montreal. Under the new structure, Massive Entertainment will share the same mandate as Ubisoft’s other Creative Houses: it will hold clear accountability for the development, stewardship and long‑term expansion of its assigned franchises. Prior to the recent changes, Creative House 2 had been focused on competitive and cooperative shooters, a focus that broadened after Ubisoft acquired the March of Giants IP from Amazon.
"Effective immediately, the development groups responsible for these franchises in Montreal, Paris, Sweden and Toronto will be consolidated under the Massive Entertainment brand," Ubisoft said in an official statement. "By bringing together their creative talent and technical expertise, we aim to shape the future of these series, grow their communities and deliver challenging experiences for dedicated players." The newly‑named Massive Entertainment will be led by veteran executive Christoph Hartmann, who stepped into the role of General Manager in June after leaving Amazon Game Studios.
Hartmann’s résumé includes founding and heading 2K Games, giving him deep experience in large‑scale publishing and studio leadership. In addition, Ubisoft announced that Natalie Francis will serve as studio manager for the Malmö office; she previously held senior positions at Avalanche Studios and DICE, further strengthening the leadership team. Massive Entertainment’s history dates back to its founding in Malmö, Sweden, in 1997.
The studio was acquired by Ubisoft in 2008 after Activision divested it following the acquisition of Vivendi. Early titles such as Ground Control and World in Conflict earned the studio a reputation for high‑quality tactical shooters. More recently, Massive has become synonymous with the Division franchise, as well as ambitious projects like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and the forthcoming Star Wars Outlaws.
The studio also created the Snowdrop engine, a versatile technology used across many Ubisoft titles, and was reportedly working on an "unannounced innovative tech project" before a wave of layoffs affected both Massive and Ubisoft Stockholm in January. "Massive Entertainment has always been defined by passion, ambition and incredible talent, and our focus now is on what comes next," Hartmann said.
"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." The reorganization into Creative Houses is slated to be completed by late 2025, with the 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 both Creative House 3 and Creative House 5, while Thomas Andrén will oversee the centralised production resource known as the Creative Network.
Current Ubisoft Creative House lineup: - **Vantage Studios** (joint venture with Tencent) – Co‑CEOs Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot; brands include Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six; locations in Barcelona, Montreal, Quebec, Saguenay, Sherbrooke and Sofia. - **Massive Entertainment** – General Manager Christoph Hartmann; brands: Tom Clancy’s The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, March of Giants and an as‑yet‑unspecified new IP; studios in Paris, Malmö, Montreal and Toronto. - **Creative House 3** – General Manager Julien Bares (shared with House 5); brands: Brawlhalla, For Honor, Riders Republic, Skull and Bones, The Crew; studios include Blue Mammoth, Ivory Tower and Montreal.
- **Creative House 4** – General Manager to be announced; brands: Anno, Beyond Good and Evil, Heroes of Might and Magic, Prince of Persia, Rayman; studios in Mainz, Milan, Montpellier and Nadeo. - **Creative House 5** – General Manager Julien Bares (shared with House 3); brands: Growtopia and Hasbro portfolio; studios in Abu Dhabi, Barcelona Mobile, Ketchapp, Kalibri Games, Paris, Ubisoft Mobile Games and Ubisoft Paris Mobile. - **Creative Network** – General Manager Thomas Andrén; purpose: 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 House model was introduced amid a period of significant turbulence for Ubisoft.
The company has faced multiple game delays and cancellations, prompting what it described as a "final" round of cost‑cutting after years of under‑performance and an extensive restructuring effort. This process has already led to the closure of studios in Belgrade, Halifax, Leamington, Stockholm and Winnipeg, as well as widespread layoffs across its global operations. Ubisoft has not confirmed whether the current restructuring phase is fully complete.
By consolidating its development talent under the storied Massive Entertainment brand, Ubisoft hopes to streamline decision‑making, foster cross‑studio collaboration and reinvigorate its flagship Tom Clancy franchises while also laying the groundwork for fresh, original intellectual properties. The move signals a strategic attempt to balance the maintenance of beloved series with the pursuit of innovative new experiences in an increasingly competitive gaming market.