Ubisoft analyzing Canadian tax breaks situation

"I think what Quebec has become over the years in terms of video game development, it’s not a hotbed."

- Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat is unsure of his studio's future, following reports that Quebec plans to cut millions in subsidiary bonuses. Earlier this month it was reported that the Quebec government is cutting tax relief for video games, meaning that many game studios in the area, including both Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Quebec, will take a big hit. Now Mallat has told IGN that his Montreal studio, which has titles like Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed Unity and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege to its name, is currently exploring the situation and trying to decide what to do with this information. "I think we need to analyze what this means for us," he said. "Then once the analysis is done, we’ll be able to decide what the next stage is for us." Notably, these tax relief models were a large factor in why Ubisoft moved into Quebec in the first place, so this talk of tax bonuses being cut back is not good news for the company, especially as it recently announced plans to invest millions in its Quebec City studio. The tax breaks are essential to bolster game development in the area, Mallat says, and create an environment where game dev can thrive. "Obviously this tax program was here to help build that environment," he adds. "So we see this program as an important reason for the growth of the sector in Quebec."