Ubisoft has acquired the Amazon Games Montreal development team from Amazon Games, as well as is in-development multiplayer online battle arena game March of Giants, the companies announced. As part of the agreement, which is expected to close by December 16, Amazon will also provide Ubisoft with marketing support for March of Giants on Twitch.
“March of Giants has a real opportunity to bring something fresh and dynamic to players, and to help Ubisoft compete in one of gaming’s biggest arenas,” said Ubisoft co-founder and CEO Yves Guillemot in a press release. “We’re looking forward to welcoming back Alexandre, Xavier, and many of the seasoned March of Giants team who have previously worked at Ubisoft, and the entire team’s ambition, creativity and talent align perfectly with our desire to build bold new experiences for players. We look forward to supporting them as they shape the future of this promising new IP.”
The acquisition also marks the return of former Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege creative director Xavier Marquis to Ubisoft. Marquis is currently the creative director of March of Giants.
“Returning to Ubisoft brings things full circle,” said Marquis. “We built some of our most meaningful work here, and we’re excited to continue developing March of Giants from within Ubisoft. This game has enormous potential, and I know Ubisoft can help us take it to the next level.”
March of Giants senior production leader Alexandre Parizeau added, “My thanks go to Amazon for their commitment during the first chapters of March of Giants. Our closed alpha was an important milestone and showed a glimpse of the game’s real promise. Now, by joining Ubisoft, we’re uniting behind a shared vision to build March of Giants into one of the next great, enduring [multiplayer online battle arena games].”
Here is an overview of the game and team, via Amazon Games:
March of Giants is an ambitious new entrant in the global multiplayer online battle arena landscape blending lane-based combat, battlefield mastery and hero coordination. Since its first reveal, the game has attracted strong enthusiasm from early players and creators, who have praised its fresh art direction, tactical depth, and focus on meaningful team play.
The worldwide multiplayer online battle arena category remains one of the largest and most engaged segments in gaming, representing hundreds of millions of active players and a significant opportunity for titles that can build loyal, competitive communities. Industry analysts expect the global multiplayer online battle arena games market to continue growing year over year for the rest of the decade, with total revenues roughly doubling by 2030. Ubisoft sees March of Giants as an innovative and differentiated project with the potential to offer something new to current multiplayer online battle arena fans, attract new audiences, and grow into a successful live competitive game. 98 percent of closed alpha participants surveyed said March of Giants brings something new to the genre.
March of Giants is led by an experienced team, including Xavier Marquis, creative director, and Alexandre Parizeau, senior production leader. Both are veteran developers with past ties to Ubisoft. Xavier is best known as the original Creative Director of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, while Alexandre previously served as managing director of Ubisoft Toronto, where he oversaw major AAA productions. Their return and the addition of the March of Giants team bring proven expertise in building globally successful competitive and live games to Ubisoft.