What if I told you that the games you love might have been created right here? I am talking about Ubisoft Toronto. This Canadian video game developer has been shaping the gaming landscape since its establishment in September 2010. Ubisoft Toronto is based right here in Toronto.
Ubisoft Toronto’s story began with Jade Raymond. She was tasked with setting up the studio. Many of the initial staff, including Raymond, came from Ubisoft Montreal. Alexandre Parizeau and Maxime Béland joined her as co-founders to work on a new Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell game. Lesley Phord-Toy led a second team for a secret project. Rima Brek oversaw the studio’s Technology Group. By May 2010, Ubisoft Toronto had over 2,000 job applications.
Ubisoft Toronto is located in the Junction Triangle neighborhood. It occupies a former General Electric building. The studio officially opened in September 2010. Before that, it had already begun operating in late 2009.
Initially, Ubisoft Toronto supported larger studios like Ubisoft Montreal. However, it quickly gained the ability to lead its own game development. This was unlike other Ubisoft studios. By March 2012, Ubisoft Toronto had 200 employees. By September 2013, that number grew to 300. The studio had received 30,000 applications and conducted 1,800 job interviews.
In September 2012, Ubisoft Toronto added an internal performance capture studio. Their first big project, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist, came out in August 2013. It was a hit with critics. After this success, Raymond left the studio. Alexandre Parizeau took over as general manager.
Ubisoft Toronto developed its first original game called Starlink: Battle for Atlas. It is an action-adventure game. It also had optional toys-to-life integration. As of July 2017, Ubisoft Toronto employed 600 people.
Ubisoft Toronto faced challenges too. In 2020, the MeToo movement brought accusations against some Ubisoft employees. Over one hundred Ubisoft Toronto employees reported concerns about sexual misconduct. They felt that management and human resources had not taken enough action. Ubisoft investigated. Maxime Béland, a studio co-founder, resigned. Some employees told Kotaku that problems went beyond Béland. They wanted larger changes at the studio and Ubisoft.
Alexandre Parizeau left in February 2021. Istvan Tajnay replaced him. He had been the managing director for Ubisoft Berlin. In December 2021, it was announced that Ubisoft Toronto would remake Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. After 2 years, Tajnay left the company in July 2023. Darryl Long replaced him. Long had managed Ubisoft Winnipeg and Ubisoft Singapore. In June 2024, Ubisoft Toronto began helping Ubisoft Montreal with the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake. Later that month, 33 employees were laid off. This was part of a “targeted realignment”.
Ubisoft Toronto has contributed to many games. These include Assassin’s Creed Unity, Far Cry 4, Far Cry Primal, and Watch Dogs 2. They also worked on For Honor, Far Cry 5, and Starlink: Battle for Atlas. More recently, they developed Watch Dogs: Legion and Far Cry 6. They have supported other Ubisoft studios on games like Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, The Crew Motorfest, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Ubisoft Toronto also contributed to XDefiant and Star Wars Outlaws.
Ubisoft Toronto’s impact extends beyond video games. Its presence has revitalized the Junction Triangle neighborhood. New restaurants and cafes have opened. These include Wallace Espresso, Cafe Neon, and Wallace and Co. The studio has brought new life and opportunities to the area.
So, as you walk through Toronto, remember Ubisoft Toronto. It is a place where creativity and innovation come together to create the games we love.