Ubisoft to open Montreal entertainment centre with Rabbids video game theme

Ubisoft's next bid to expand its brand is a family entertainmentcentre in Montreal drawing on the company's popular Rabbids videogame franchise.

Slated to open in August on Montreal's West Island, the1,400-square-metre centre is the brainchild of Ubisoft Canada
managing director Olivier Ernst, a father of two young kids who sawa "perfect match" between the Rabbids franchise and a place forfamilies to have fun.

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Rabbids are mischievous rabbits originally part of the "Rayman" video game franchise.

Ubisoft has spent two years researching and planning the pilotproject, which is aimed at kids 12 and under. While Ernst is notready to share all the details of the entertainment that will beavailable, he says parents will be able to participate with the kidsor take a breather and watch.

"Rabbids are very wacky, (there'll be) lots of action goingon," Ernst promised. "And at the same time very very funny. Soit's a perfect environment for the family to spend a couple ofhours."

The Rabbids Amusement Centre, which Ernst says represents aseven-digit investment for Ubisoft, will be able to accommodateseveral hundred people.

More theme parks to come

Ubisoft, which has its headquarters in France, has alreadyannounced plans for a "next-generation theme park" in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. Slated to open in 2020, the 10,000-square-meterindoor complex will showcase rides, shows and other attractionsbuilt around Ubisoft's games and characters.

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The company already has the Rabbids Dark Ride up and running atthe Futuroscope theme park located near Poitiers, France. Utilizinga train and 3-D glasses, it is billed as a trip through greatmoments in history.

"Since it opened, it has helped the park gain 20 per centincrease in attendance," Deborah Papiernik, Ubisoft's business
development director, said from Paris.

A feature film based on the made-in-Montreal "Assassin's Creed"video-game franchise is due for release in December starring MichaelFassbender with other video-game themed films to follow.

Papiernik says it's all part of a plan to provide "experiencesthat go beyond video games."

Ernst sees the amusement centre as a "proximity" attraction,primarily designed for local families rather than a destinationattraction like a theme park.

Ernst was not willing to divulge pricing or details of theplanned entertainment other than to say it will allow the kids to
expend energy, make use of Ubisoft's innovation and serve as a venuefor parties and other special events.

'Montreal is like a second home'

Montreal is a major piece in Ubisoft's corporate puzzle. Ubisoftemploys 2,700 in Quebec and Montreal is its largest studioworldwide.

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"Montreal is like a second home for Ubisoft...The community inMontreal really welcomed Ubisoft with open arms when we created thestudio a long time ago," said Papiernik.

"And when you combinethat with the fact that Olivier is the one with the idea thenMontreal was the perfect destination."

Ubisoft will look to build more if the centre proves successful.