After more than a year or more of discussions, BroadcastPro ME has learnt that gaming publisher and developer Ubisoft has finally inked a deal with twofour54 Abu Dhabi that will see the company open its video development studio in the UAE capital. This is the first time a leading games publisher has entered the Arab […]
After more than a year or more of discussions, BroadcastPro ME has learnt that gaming publisher and developer Ubisoft has finally inked a deal with twofour54 Abu Dhabi that will see the company open its video development studio in the UAE capital. This is the first time a leading games publisher has entered the Arab world.
Slated to open its doors in December this year with a core team of Ubisoft veterans who will help to train an initial team of local recruits, the studio will also contribute their expertise to the twofour54 gaming academy a new, full-time game development academy run by twofour54 tadreeb, twofour54s media training arm in partnership with Ubisoft.
In a release, Christine Burgess-Quémard, executive director, worldwide studios at Ubisoft stated: We are excited by the partnership with twofour54. Their commitment to developing a strong regional gaming industry and their knowledge of the region were the perfect foundation on which to continue building our development teams. The demographics and the pool of skilled technical talent in the Middle East and North Africa region are key factors that will contribute to the success of this new studio.
Ubisofts Abu Dhabi studio will start by working on online gaming titles in collaboration with other Ubisoft studios, and will eventually create original titles that will appeal to local and international audiences alike.
Digital gaming has always been a priority sector for twofour54 and to partner with an international market leader such as Ubisoft is great news for the regions gaming industry, commented Wayne Borg, Deputy CEO & Chief Operating Officer, twofour54.
The digital games played by Arabs have traditionally been developed outside the region, which means that they rarely have a direct relevance to Arab gamers. Our agreement with Ubisoft will benefit the region in that it will enable the development of titles that resonate with the local population, whilst also building the skills of young Arabs to allow the region to create its own games and developing a gaming industry base here at twofour54.
Yannick Theler, a ten-year veteran at Ubisoft has been chosen to manage the new studio. Yannicks experience at Ubisoft began at Ubisoft Switzerland as Marketing & Sales Director before being appointed Vice President of Business Development for Ubisofts China activities and most recently served as Human Resources Director of Ubisoft Shanghai.
