Ahead of next-gen console launches, Far Cry publisher announces “concentration of American operations of online games” initiative with plan to invest over $360 million in seven years.

In the lead-up to the arrival of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this November, Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed publisher Ubisoft announced today that it plans to add 500 jobs to its Quebec offices by 2020. By that time, the company plans to employ 3,500 people in the region.

The new positions come through the company’s “concentration of American operations for online games” initiative in Montreal. This includes an expansion of Ubisoft’s motion capture technology as part of a total investment of $373 million CAD ($363 million) over seven years.

“The imminent arrival of the next generation of consoles, the expansion of mobile platforms, the multiplication of connected, immersive, and social environments, and the strategic importance of the relationship between developers and players are profoundly transforming the video game industry,” Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said in a statement.

“Today’s announcement allows us to anticipate the growth of our future needs with the main objective of strengthening proximity with our players and creating value for them,” he added.

The 500 new positions cover a range of “new skills” required for next-generation game development, according to Ubisoft. These include community and network management specialists, business intelligence analysts, mathematicians, telemetry experts, systems operators, and monetization and interactive marketing specialists.

As part of the deal, the Quebec government has announced a $9.9 million CAD ($9.6 million) contribution to the endeavor. Ubisoft has been set up in Quebec since 1997.

“Their growth and concrete economic benefits for the Quebec nation are true sources of pride,” Quebec premier Pauline Marois said of Ubisoft. “The project announced today, bringing about important job creation, allows us to foresee success in the future.”

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