By Sagar V. Mankar 
Ubisoft has decided to shut down its mobile puzzle and decoration game, Gwen’s Getaway. Players have until December 16th, 2024, to enjoy the game and use any remaining in-game currency or purchases they’ve made.
The game, which launched as a test version in September 2023, was developed by Ubisoft’s Helsinki-based studio RedLynx, under the leadership of Celine Pasula, who previously worked with well-known companies Grand Cru and Fingersoft. Despite its short lifespan, the development team believes the experience gained from this project won’t go to waste, as they plan to apply these lessons to their current and future games.
In their official statement, Ubisoft explained that while Gwen’s Getaway is coming to an end, RedLynx studio remains dedicated to exploring new technologies and creating cross-platform experiences. The team will now focus on working with other Ubisoft studios to develop games for some of the company’s most popular franchises.
Looking back, the journey of Gwen’s Getaway began during the COVID-19 pandemic, as revealed in an earlier interview with RedLynx’s managing director Celine Pasula and game producer Jon Kauppinen. The development team spent considerable time gathering and implementing player feedback to improve the game.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the only challenge Ubisoft has faced recently. The company has experienced several setbacks in its mobile gaming division. For instance, they had to pause the expansion of Rainbow Six Mobile to make necessary improvements. Another mobile game, The Division Resurgence, also faced delays in its development schedule.
The company’s difficulties extend beyond mobile gaming. In October 2023, Ubisoft closed its London studio, which was previously known as Future Games of London and was famous for creating the Hungry Shark series. More recently, the delay of their highly anticipated game Assassin’s Creed Shadows to 2025 caused Ubisoft’s stock prices to drop to their lowest point in a decade.
This significant drop in share value has sparked rumors about potential ownership changes. Industry observers are speculating that Chinese gaming giant Tencent and the Guillemot family (Ubisoft’s founding family) might be considering buying out the company completely.