Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon Have a New Boss Amid Crisis

Earlier this year, Ubisoft announced a major restructuring of the company, implementing a new operating model centered around five creative houses, accelerating cost reduction initiatives, and narrowing its focus on the company's most popular titles—but the transitional journey has been turbulent.

Since the start of the restructuring, Ubisoft has parted ways with roughly 1,200 employees, secured a 1.3 billion dollar investment from Tencent, and announced a lighter-release schedule for 2026 and 2027 as they attempt to stabilize the company and achieve sustainable growth.

Until recently, Ubisoft's Creative House 2, which will be handling Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and The Division, was without a leader, but former Amazon Game Studios boss Christoph Hartmann has just revealed he will be taking the reins.

Christoph Hartmann Takes the Lead of Creative House 2

Hartmann left Amazon Game Studios earlier this year as the company announced massive changes, including layoffs to the tune of 14,000 employees as they halted development on big-budget AAA games and focused on their new Luna Cloud Gaming platform.

Prior to Hartmann's time with Amazon, he was president of Take-Two's 2K Games publishing label for 14 years, and his latest LinkedIn post recounting his first day at Ubisoft reveals his passion for making great games is still very much alive and thriving. The new director says he is "looking forward to working with the teams across Creative House 2, supporting an incredible portfolio of AAA tactical, competitive, and multiplayer experiences, including Tom Clancy’s The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and March of Giants. My goal is simple: create an environment where talented teams can do their best work and continue building games that players love."

While it's been a turbulent time for Ubisoft and many people have been laid off, games canceled and delayed, and studios closed, gamers still remember a time when Ubisoft was one of the most highly-respected and well-known names in the industry. Will this new operating model and re-focused vision for the company pay off in the long-run? Will Ubisoft be able to recreate the magic of their best-selling games? It's entirely possible, but too early to tell.

There's a generation of gamers hoping for a glorious return to form from Ubisoft's big-name hitters: Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon, The Division, Splinter Cell, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, and others, so it will be exciting to see the quality of Ubisoft's future games.

Hartmann himself is enthusiastic about his new role: "For nearly four decades, Ubisoft has created some of the industry’s most iconic franchises and earned a reputation for building ambitious AAA experiences that have entertained millions of players around the world. It has long been a company I’ve admired for its creativity, the strength of its franchises, and, above all, the talented people behind them."

One Step at a Time

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot expressed his confidence that Hartmann is a great fit for Creative House 2, and will help the company build franchises that stand the test of time: "His experience across development and publishing as well as his management style give him a rare understanding of what it takes to make great games. I am confident Christoph will elevate our teams and brands to new heights and deepen their connection with the dedicated players who love these franchises."

While Creative House 2 gains a leader, Ubisoft still has lots of moving pieces to lock down, as some notable names recently parted ways with the company, including former Assassin's Creed franchise boss Marc-Alexis Côté, former Assassin's Creed Hexe Creative Director Clint Hocking, and former Assassin's Creed Hexe Game Director Benoit Richer.

Ubisoft's next game release will be Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced, which launches on July 9th, 2026, followed by Rayman Legends Retold, which is set to release on October 1st, 2026.