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Ubisoft Expands into CG Features? |
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Monday, 12 February 2007 |
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In a news conference Friday, French video game publisher Ubisoft will be jumping into the CG feature business with plans to invest close to $400 million in their Montreal production Center. They are setting goals of building a team of 3,000 employees by 2013, with 500 dedicated to CG work. Quebec will contribute as well, offering tax credits and job training worth almost $16 million.
The game company currently has more than 1,500 employees and will initially focus on producing CG short films. The first will be an 8-minute project that will promote a next-generation console game called Assasin's Creed. The film will be distributed over the internet for free with possible fees for expanded versions. Additionally, Ubisoft says that they'll insert product placement so that income can generated.
Yves Guillemot, the CEO of Ubisoft says that they'll develop talent that can make movies at the same time they are creating games. The company will also be exploring opportunies such as CG tv shows and portions of feature films. The CEO goes on to say that the company is hiring people from Hollywood so that the video game creators can learn how to create these movies.
To date, Ubisoft has created game titles based on such movies as King Kong, Open Season, and upcoming films Surf's Up and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
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