Struggling French games giant Ubisoft said Monday that it would close a British studio and lay off 185 people across Europe as part of a restructuring.
The job cuts, which also affect operations in Germany and Sweden, were "part of our ongoing efforts to prioritize projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability", Ubisoft told AFP.
Monday's announcement covered the closure of Ubisoft's studio in Leamington in central England and layoffs at another in Newcastle, as well as in Duesseldorf and Stockholm.
The 185 job cuts across Europe compare with around 18,000 worldwide employees at the group.
Ubisoft had already closed studios in San Francisco and Osaka and began winding down its Sydney operation after shooter "XDefiant" last year failed to strike a chord with players, shedding 277 jobs.
Another blow had come with the lukewarm reception of another game, "Star Wars: Outlaws", which missed sales expectations.
And in January, Ubisoft announced a delay to the release of the latest instalment in its money-spinning flagship series "Assassin's Creed", to March 20.
The step forced bosses to lower their financial forecasts for the year, and Ubisoft's shares have fallen more than 40 percent in the past 12 months.
It has said it is considering its "strategic and capitalistic options" going into 2025, with rumors the company could be bought out and taken off the stock market.
