Tencent Shuts Down TiMi Montréal Studio

Developer had not released a game in five years since its founding

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Tencent's subsidiary TiMi Studio Group has reportedly closed down its Montréal studio, according to sources. The closure was anticipated, and employees were aware of the impending shutdown "for some time." The studio, founded in 2021 and led by former Assassin's Creed creative director Ashraf Ismail, had not released a game in the five years since its establishment.

Why it matters

The closure of TiMi Montréal is the latest in a series of studio shutdowns by Tencent, which has been streamlining its game development operations. The lack of any game releases from the studio in five years suggests it was struggling to find success, and the shutdown is part of Tencent's efforts to focus on more profitable projects.

The details

Sources told Game File that the closure of TiMi Montréal was anticipated, and rumors of the shutdown resurfaced last Friday when another source stated it was "imminent." In a now-unavailable LinkedIn post, a TiMi Montréal programmer confirmed the studio had closed and that employees had been aware of the impending shutdown "for some time." Another former employee responded, praising the team's "exceptional" talent and camaraderie.

  • TiMi Montréal was founded in 2021.
  • The studio had not released a game in the five years since its founding.

The players

TiMi Studio Group

A subsidiary of Tencent that has overseen the closure of multiple studios, including TiMi Montréal and Team Kaiju.

Ashraf Ismail

The former creative director of Assassin's Creed who joined TiMi Montréal as a "consulting creative director" after being fired by Ubisoft Montréal in 2020 following a misconduct investigation.

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The takeaway

The closure of TiMi Montréal is part of Tencent's broader efforts to streamline its game development operations, focusing on more profitable projects. The lack of any game releases from the studio in five years suggests it was struggling to find success, leading to the decision to shut it down.