AS part of its expansion program, Ubisoft Philippines unveiled over the weekend its latest studio that will serve as the company’s base of operations nationwide.
Located inside the De La Salle University (DLSU) campus in Santa Rosa, Laguna, it is the first and only facility codeveloping “AAA” games in the country.
Apart from highlighting its corporate value of “serious about fun,” the design of the new studio provides employees an environment that encourages creativity and collaboration, as well as spaces to relax.
This is in line with the team’s ambition of developing “the most memorable experiences for players,” according to Ubisoft Philippines Studio Manager Chip Go. The studio boasts of game stations, a pantry, breakout spaces/lounge areas per floor, a ping-pong table, a giant slide for going between floors and a full roof deck for events.
“At Ubisoft Philippines, we take fun seriously and our new studio is the embodiment of this motto. Our staff pushes the quality bar to international standards, and we are more than happy to provide them with an environment that is conducive to creativity, collaboration and self-expression,” she said.
“This is reflected in our office architecture, such as the open-floor design and the breakout spaces which promote communication and foster teamwork,” she added. Ubisoft Philippines was established in 2016. Since then, the team has grown to 100 professionals codeveloping flagship franchises, such as “Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey,” “Assassin’s Creed: Origins,” “Skull & Bones,” “For Honor” and “The Crew 2.”
It has tied up with the academe and become involved in the community to help grow the game development industry not only in the country but all throughout Southeast Asia.
Current openings are available for artists, programmers, project managers and more, said Ubisoft Philippines Talent Acquisition Manager Suzy Belizario. The gaming giant, she bared, is hiring up to 200 game developers in the coming years. Competitive compensation and benefit packages await them. The company develops its employees to be at par globally and regularly conducts training sessions with international experts in the studio. There are also different overseas training opportunities at Ubisoft locations around the world.
Over the last two years, Ubisoft Philippines has sent dozens of employees to international studios in Paris, Montreal, Singapore and Chengdu.
“Filipinos looking to get into game development now have the opportunity to work for a world-class game developer right on home soil. We are always looking for fresh talent who can contribute to our team’s continued success, and who can be a part of the AAA games we are developing,” said Belizario.
Aside from providing job opportunities, Ubisoft Philippines has also undertaken several community partnerships to develop further the local gaming sector. The firm now works with DLSU with the offering of various game development courses to help build the next generation of Filipino game developers.
It also collaborates with Passerelles Numeriques, a nongovernment organization that specializes in providing information technology training to underprivileged youth in Cebu. To date, 10 students have been sponsored under this program.
“Growing up in Cebu and seeing poverty all around me, I have always wanted to give back to my community. This partnership with Passerelles Numeriques is very personal to me and I’m looking forward to seeing our first batch of graduates in 2019,” Go stressed.
The Philippine subsidiary is part of multinational Ubisoft, a leading global creator, publisher and distributor of interactive digital entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including “Assassin’s Creed,” “Just Dance,” Tom Clancy’s video game series, “Rayman,” “Far Cry” and “Watch Dogs.”
Its international network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and personal computers. For the 2017-2018 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated sales of €1,732 million.