Video game publishers Gameloft and Ubisoft have both released announcements that they will open new development studios in Quebec City. Ubisoft's new campus will employ 200 new employees as part of its drive to reach a total Quebec staff of 2000; Gameloft, for its part, did not reveal the size of the staff in its new development facility.
Martin Tremblay of Ubisoft Canada commented: "We are convinced that the region’s young creatives have a lot to offer Ubisoft. In return, we believe that our company can offer some very interesting career opportunities in a growing and dynamic sector of the digital entertainment industry." Ubisoft simultaneously announced plans to invest USD $21.5 million into the new Quebec studio over the next 5 years, with Tremblay suggesting: "Quebec and its surrounding areas are filled with talent. This has been a well-kept secret for too long."
In his official launch statement, Gameloft Canada's general manager Stephane Mouchel-Vichard said in his company's announcement that: "Gameloft is investing in Canada today to develop artists, programmers and game designers who will create the popular mobile games of the future, reaching a billion potential consumers in the world."
With Ubisoft's continued commitment to fending off
a possible takeover by Electronic Arts, some analysts are contending that the simultaneous announcement, which occurred in the presence of heavy Canadian national and local government representation, as well as representatives of both companies, is that Ubisoft -- once the parent company of Gameloft -- intends to once again ally more closely with the mobile phone publisher and developer in order to become less of a target for EA.
