Ubisoft Appoints New Creative House General Managers
▼ Summary
– Ubisoft has appointed Julien Bares as general manager of its newly-formed Creative Houses 3 and 5.
– Bares previously held executive roles at Tencent Games and 2K China, and earlier worked as a producer at Ubisoft.
– Creative House 3 focuses on live games, while Creative House 5 specializes in mobile and casual games.
– Ubisoft also named Thomas Andrén as general manager of its newly-created Creative Network to support production across studios.
– This restructuring follows Ubisoft’s earlier creation of a Creative House subsidiary and a round of project cancellations and cost-cutting.
Ubisoft has strengthened its new organizational structure with two key executive appointments. The company has named industry veteran Julien Bares as the General Manager for its recently established Creative Houses 3 and 5. Bares brings extensive leadership experience from major players in the industry, including a tenure as Vice President at Tencent Games and nearly nine years leading 2K China. His career also includes an eight-year period as a producer at Ubisoft earlier in his career, alongside board positions at several development studios.
In his new role, Bares will oversee two distinct divisions. Creative House 3 is dedicated to developing and operating live games, while Creative House 5 specializes in mobile and casual games. Bares expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating that leading these teams allows him to partner with talented developers to build innovative titles and strengthen community connections. He emphasized that leveraging powerful technology and fostering smart collaboration across studios are key to pushing creative boundaries.
Concurrently, Ubisoft has appointed Thomas Andrén as General Manager of its newly formed Creative Network. This central support arm is designed to provide elite production capacity and assist the various Creative Houses with a wide range of development needs. Andrén joined Ubisoft in 2021 as Managing Director of the Massive studio and was later promoted to oversee the company’s operations in Sweden, Finland, and Romania. His background also includes significant roles at Red Bee Media and Ericsson.
Andrén described the Creative Network as a remarkable hub of expertise and innovation. He believes that by enhancing collaboration between the network’s specialized studios and the Creative Houses, Ubisoft can merge agility with world-class skill to support ambitious game development.
These appointments are part of Ubisoft’s broader corporate transformation, which included the unveiling of the Creative House structure earlier this year. This reorganization has also seen the creation of a Tencent-backed subsidiary, Vantage Studios, known as Creative House 1. The strategic shift follows other significant moves by the publisher, including the cancellation of six unannounced projects and a €200 million cost-cutting initiative.
Ubisoft’s co-founder and CEO, Yves Guillemot, welcomed the new leaders. He highlighted the proven experience and industry passion that both Bares and Andrén bring to their strategic roles. Guillemot expressed confidence that their vision and ability to unite top talent will be crucial in creating compelling player experiences and driving the company’s ongoing transformation and growth.
(Source: GamesIndustry.biz)
