The decision to establish a studio in Sao Paulo was directly tied to the fact that the city is the economic capital of Brazil, itself the economic leader in South America. As well as being a cultural hotspot, with a young and creative population that has shown a passion for new technology and media, Sao Paulo boasts the largest grouping of universities on the continent.

The studio will open its doors in late July with a team of 20 developers and the goal of growing to 200 team members in four years. The opening of Ubisoft Sao Paulo marks a milestone in the group’s expansion, with development studios now on five continents.

“The cultural richness of Sao Paulo, coupled with its leading university network will bring a unique set of fresh talent to Ubisoft’s international development community,” said Christine Burgess-Quémard, executive director of worldwide studios at Ubisoft. “We look forward to tapping into the exceptional talent in South America in order to continue our global expansion.”

After an initial training period, Ubisoft Sao Paulo will work closely with other Ubisoft studios on the development of family-oriented titles for portable and home consoles.

The studio will be headed by Bertrand Chaverot, who has four years’ experience in the country, operating Ubisoft’s Brazilian sales subsidiary from 1999 through 2003. Most recently he served at the company’s headquarters in Paris as managing director of the company’s external development department for Europe, the Middle East and Asia.