Toronto's a big city, with a population of nearly six million people, Canada's largest metropolitan hub is a place where cultures from around the world intermingle with each other to produce a town that's large enough for three major league sports teams, yet grounded enough to feel like home.
I`m from the suburbs outside Toronto, and the city has such remarkable diversity. People from all over the world come and make this city home, and the many communities make it feel like there's always something going on. For instance, the World Cup is coming, and one of my favourite things to do – no matter which teams are playing – is find that country's neighborhood and watch the game with diehard fans. The variety of cultures shows itself all the time, from weekly street festivals to incredible new food options opening every day, the city's vibrancy only gets brighter and brighter as its population grows.
Ubisoft Toronto mirrors that vibrancy. When I first joined the studio in 2016, it was pretty overwhelming; we had grown to more than 500 employees at the time, and there were so many new people to meet and get to know. But like Toronto itself, the studio's size wasn't scary, so much as it was ... exciting. Electric. A space where diverse perspectives can come together to make magic happen.
Now, in 2018, we have more than 700 team members, and we're still growing. We`ve got programmers, designers, animators, artists, and producers from more than 26 countries, each of them bringing fresh ideas and energy to the table. Embracing diversity is something that has come to define who we are at Ubisoft Toronto, and it's gratifying to experience that every day.
Established in 2010, the Ubisoft Toronto team was in charge of developing Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Blacklist, which launched to critical acclaim in 2013. Since then, the studio has contributed to multiple award-winning Ubisoft titles, including Assassin's Creed, Watch Dogs, For Honor, and, most recently, Far Cry 5 in collaboration with Ubisoft Montreal.
These days, we're on the edge of entirely new frontiers, which is why we're headed back to E3 this year to give you a better look at a project that has been a true labour of love.
Enter Starlink: Battle for Atlas, the first original IP developed from the ground up by Ubisoft Toronto. Later this year, players will be able to take command of their very own customizable starships with a one-of-a-kind modular system that has you arranging and building powerful fighters — both in-game and atop your controller.
This modular toy system — developed entirely in-house — reminds us why we love videogames: the joy of play. Not only does Starlink: Battle for Atlas' unique control system encourage players to rediscover their passion for physical toys, the hands-on customization allows for on-the-spot experimentation and creativity — two things we value in our studio every single day.
This studio isn't just a group of people who work together, but a community that has fun and celebrates together. During the incredible Toronto summers, we take a short ferry ride out to Toronto Island for our annual UbiTO Summer BBQ. The island is just one of Torontos many accessible green spaces. In fact, Toronto is one of the greenest cities in North America, and if youre looking for more adventure, i you can find a wonderland of camping, hiking, and outdoor activities just an hour's drive away.
If it seems like I'm bragging, it's because I am. We've got Starlink: Battle for Atlas on the horizon, and unannounced projects waiting in the wings. I'm proud of our studio and of the city we call home. If you'd like to join us and live out your childhood dream — getting paid to make videogames and play with toys — check out all our current openings. We can't promise it'll always be warm, but we can promise the food will be fantastic.
