Ubisoft picks 2K Games co-founder to lead Ghost Recon, The Division, and Splinter Cell franchises

Ubisoft has hired 2K Games co-founder Christoph Hartmann to lead the future of big Tom Clancy franchises like The Division.

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Some of Ubisoft's biggest franchises will now be overseen by a proven games industry veteran. The company recently restructured into five different segments called Creative Houses, with each overseeing a domain of franchises. Now Ubisoft has found leadership for Creative House 2, which handles Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, The Division, and the recently-acquired March of Giants MOBA.

2K Games co-founder and former president Christoph Hartmann will lead Creative House 2, Ubisoft has announced. Hartmann helped bring to market multiple games in his tenure at 2K including Borderlands, BioShock, XCOM and NBA 2K. Hartmann will now lend that expertise to Ubisoft and its titles.

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"Christoph has an exceptional track record of shaping strong creative teams and bringing together the best development and publishing expertise to build long-lasting franchises," said Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO, Ubisoft.

"His experience and management style are perfectly aligned with our ambitions for our new operating model, where exemplary GMs lead empowered, agile, and accountable Creative Houses. I am confident Christoph will help elevate these teams and franchises to new heights and deepen their connection with the passionate, dedicated players who love this genre."

These changes have come at a high cost for Ubisoft in terms of manpower; the publisher has shed hundreds of roles from its organization, reducing headcount in a dramatic way through hefty cost-cutting measures.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

How might Christoph Hartmann's leadership affect the release schedule for upcoming The Division titles?

Hartmann's track record of shaping strong creative teams and bringing together development and publishing expertise suggests he could elevate teams and deepen player connections, which may lead to more focused, potentially accelerated development for The Division. Ubisoft's CEO said Hartmann's management style aligns with leading empowered, agile, and accountable Creative Houses, implying he may streamline decision making that could affect release pacing.

Answered

Question #2

How will the Tencent investment in Creative House 1 influence resource allocation between Creative House 1 and Creative House 2?

Tencent injected $1.3 billion into Ubisoft's Creative House 1 (Vantage Studios), and Ubisoft is using that money to help fund development of new content and to facilitate infrastructure shifts. The article does not state any specific changes to resource allocation between Creative House 1 and Creative House 2 beyond noting that the Tencent funds are being used to support Creative House 1 development and broader infrastructure.

Answered

Question #3

Are there expected staffing changes or studio consolidations within the teams that make Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and The Division?

Yes. The primary article notes Ubisoft has shed hundreds of roles through hefty cost-cutting measures during the reorganization, and Related 1 adds that Ubisoft offered voluntary separation packages for The Division's Massive Entertainment teams.

Answered

Question #4

How could Hartmann’s previous experience with live-service titles like NBA 2K and Borderlands impact Ubisoft’s approach to microtransactions or seasonal content?

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The reorganization was also made possible by a deal that Ubisoft made with Tencent. Last year, Ubisoft separated its biggest franchises into one unit--Creative House 1--for a joint venture opportunity. The two publishers finalized an investment deal that saw Tencent inject $1.3 billion into Ubisoft's Creative House 1, also known as the newly-formed Vantage Studios subsidiary. The publisher is using this money to help fund development of new content and to facilitate these infrastructure shifts.