Mark Androvich
16:18 (BST)
29/04/2008
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Ubisoft selects Kiev for new development studio
Ubisoft has announced that it has chosen Kiev, Ukraine as the location for its latest internal development studio - the company's third in Eastern Europe.
In 1992, Ubisoft was the first international publisher to open a studio in Bucharest, Romania. The Bucharest studio currently has over 500 people in its production, testing and IT departments.
The Bucharest group also opened a studio in Sofia, Bulgaria in June 2006 which currently employs more than 50 people. It expects to double in size within the next year.
"We have had a very positive experience in Eastern Europe, as the quality of the upcoming Tom Clancy's HAWX developed by our Bucharest studio can attest," said Christine Burgess-Quémard, executive director, worldwide studios at Ubisoft.
"Having seen the potential demonstrated by the Sofia studio's first projects, it was only natural for us to pursue our expansion in this region and attract a new pool of highly-skilled talents to the group."
The Ukraine has numerous gaming-related companies in operation and is home to over 100 of the country's 300 IT universities and institutions with over 7000 graduates in software-related disciplines annually.
A core team of 12 developers led by Vitalii Blazheiev has already contributed to the PC version of Blazing Angels: Secret Missions of WWII. The team plans to have 50 people in the studio within the next 12 months.
The Kiev studio will directly collaborate with Ubisoft Bucharest - primarily contributing to projects such as the PC version of Tom Clancy's HAWX - and will operate under the responsibility of Sebastien Delen, managing director of Ubisoft Bucharest and Ubisoft Sofia.
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