Ubisoft discusses voluntary departure plan for about 100 jobs in Germany
Ubisoft is in talks over a voluntary departure plan for Düsseldorf, Berlin and Mainz that could affect about 100 of roughly 600 staff.
Talks are still ongoing with the German Works Council. The financial terms have not been finalized, so the outcome of the plan is still uncertain.
This would be a voluntary exit scheme, not an immediate round of forced layoffs. The reporting does mention a possible compensation formula, but that has not been finalized either.
What happened
Kotaku reported on October 15, 2026, that Ubisoft is exploring a voluntary departure plan for Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin and Ubisoft Mainz. The report cites Game File and a response from a Ubisoft spokesperson. According to the same reporting, talks with the German Works Council began last week, meaning negotiations were already underway but had not yet been completed.
The proposal would reportedly target about 100 employees out of the roughly 600 people working across the three German studios. That makes it a voluntary exit scheme rather than an immediately announced round of forced layoffs. The ratio works out to about one in six employees at those locations, although the figures remain approximate because the reporting uses wording such as “about” and “roughly.”
According to the report, the financial package is still being negotiated. Game File reportedly said a possible buyout formula is being discussed in which monthly salaries would be multiplied by 1.5 and then by the number of years the employee has worked at the company. However, that detail has not been confirmed as a final arrangement and should still be treated as provisional.
Ubisoft did not say in the reporting that the plan has already been formally approved. It also has not been reported how many employees would actually take the offer. The current situation is therefore that Ubisoft is holding talks over a voluntary scheme, while the exact terms and final scale remain open.
Timeline
October 15, 2026: Kotaku reports that Ubisoft is discussing a voluntary departure plan for Düsseldorf, Berlin and Mainz.
The week before October 15, 2026: Ubisoft begins talks with the German Works Council over the proposed scheme.
In the October 15, 2026 reporting: the plan could affect about 100 of the roughly 600 employees across the three German locations.
In the same reporting: the financial terms are still not final, and the possible buyout formula remains under negotiation.
Not yet completed: there is still no confirmation that the plan will be implemented or how many employees will ultimately take part.
Background
The German talks are part of a broader wave of staffing measures at Ubisoft. A day earlier, GAME-scanner had already reported that the company is also making changes elsewhere, including at Ubisoft Singapore and RedLynx. That points to multiple separate restructuring or reduction processes across different regions and studios within the company.
The current reporting does not mention a final decision for the German studios. It is also still unclear how many employees will actually accept the offer. The Works Council plays a formal role in the negotiations, since the arrangement is still being discussed with that body and the financial terms have not yet been set.
The figures cited are provisional and based on reporting from Kotaku and Game File. They refer to about 100 possible departures within a group of roughly 600 employees across the three German locations combined. Because this is a voluntary departure plan, the final impact will depend on how many workers apply and on the definitive compensation terms.
The possible formula mentioned in the reporting — monthly salary times 1.5 times years of service — matters because it shows Ubisoft and the Works Council are still negotiating the financial incentive. Until that arrangement is finalized, it remains unclear how attractive the offer will be to employees and whether the target of around 100 departures will actually be reached.
Related GAME-scanner articles
Sources
- Kotaku, October 15, 2026: report on the voluntary departure plan at Ubisoft in Germany.
- Game File, cited in the Kotaku report: details on the proposed arrangement and the talks with the Works Council.