**Tencent Shuts Down TiMi Montreal Studio After Five Years of Development**
Tencent’s TiMi Studio Group has reportedly closed its Montreal studio, which was established in 2021 with ambitions of developing multi-platform open-world games. Over this five-year period, the studio did not release any games, though it attracted notable talent, including former Assassin’s Creed creative director Ashraf Ismail. Ismail’s tenure was marred by controversy; he was dismissed from Ubisoft following allegations of misconduct, primarily related to exploiting his position to engage in extramarital relationships.
The closure was first reported by Game File, which referenced a LinkedIn post from a programmer at TiMi Montreal. The post indicated that staff had been aware of the impending shutdown for some time, expressing disappointment that the public would not have the opportunity to experience the projects the team was capable of producing. However, the LinkedIn post is no longer accessible, displaying a message stating that it cannot be displayed.
Attempts to get an official comment from Tencent regarding the shutdown have so far yielded no responses. Despite this, Ismail’s LinkedIn profile still lists him as a creative director at TiMi Montreal as of March 2021, with no mention of the studio’s closing.
Although TiMi Studio Group, the parent organization of the Montreal studio, has predominantly focused on mobile games—successfully launching titles like Age of Empires Mobile, Pokémon Unite, and Call of Duty: Mobile—the Montreal branch was intended to specifically pursue the development of a “AAA open world, service-focused video game for players to explore across multiple platforms.” Initially, PC and console versions were prioritized, but the studio had not publicly announced any projects before its closure. In contrast, TiMi Studio Group has recently released a notable shooter on PC, Team Jade’s Delta Force.
The shutdown of TiMi Montreal aligns with a broader trend where major Chinese companies, including Tencent, have retrenched from their aggressive expansion into Western markets that characterized the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rival NetEase has also made headlines for similar reductions in its Western operations, suggesting a potential reevaluation of strategies in the face of changing market conditions.
As the gaming landscape evolves, the closure of TiMi Montreal serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by companies navigating the complexities of game development and market expansion amid shifting priorities.
