Ubisoft Stockholm’s New Dolby Atmos Playground
Ah, Ubisoft Stockholm. The galactic center of video game publishing and—let’s be real—a place where dreams get debugged faster than you can say “glitch!” Recently, they moved themselves into snazzy new digs in Hagastaden, and boy oh boy, they didn’t just bring the snacks. No, they’ve sent shockwaves through sound engineering with some impressive Genelec loudspeaker systems that could make even a deaf cat perk its ears up!
The Wonder of Genelec
Under the astute management of Niklas Domander, Ubisoft’s IT and project chief, the team engaged the services of system integrators This Is Who I Am (Tiwia) and Logic IT. Sounds like a reality show about tech consultants, doesn’t it? But I digress. They brought those fabulous Genelec speakers into play, designed to transform game development and leisure spaces into auditory utopias.
Pär Hörnell, the big cheese at Tiwia, commented on the collaboration: “I’ve worked with Genelec for many years. We had excellent support from them, including a visit to the new Experience Centre in Stockholm, where we were able to plan and create a final proposal for Ubisoft.” Talk about a field trip! Wonder if they brought cookies.
The Crown Jewel: Dolby Atmos Room
Now, here’s the kicker! The pièce de résistance is a 9.2.4 Dolby Atmos room. That’s 9 speakers around, 2 subs at the front, and 4 overheads. Basically, it’s like being in a concert hall for video games. You can almost hear the nachos crunching echoes of animated battles, am I right?
Tiwia installed three of those powerful 8350s behind a super-sized screen and dotted 10 8340s like an audio fairy godmother around the room. Add a pair of 7370 subwoofers, and what’s that? A setup so immersive you’d be tempted to dodge incoming fireballs! The integration with Genelec’s GLM software is like putting on noise-canceling headphones; it optimizes an experience you didn’t know you needed! And all of this is connected to the sound studios via a Focusrite RedNet Dante system. Ah, sound so nice it makes your ears dance!
Multi-Functional Mini-Epic
According to Domander, this room isn’t just for press demos. Oh no! It’s also for internal reviews, training sessions, and whatever else floats their audio boat. “It serves as a beautiful demo room for visiting journalists and press events, but also forms an important part of the workflow for our audio team,” said he. I can just picture it now—team-building exercises where they bond over sound mixing while giggling like school kids!
Studio Setups Galore
Now let’s not forget the rest of the audio setup. For the main 7.1.4 Atmos studio, they’ve put three three-way coaxial 8331s right in the front wall for left, center, and right channels, while four two-way 8330s swoop in to wrap around them for surrounds and overheads. Can I get a high five for that subwoofer setup? A 7360 smart active subwoofer complements the action, giving you bass so deep it feels like the ground is shaking while you’re trying to save your in-game princess!
If that wasn’t enough to make your audio-loving hearts flutter, they also decked out a second studio as a 5.1 recording/listening space. And lets be real, it probably has more audio equipment than my entire life savings.
Atrium Magic
And what about the main atrium? Logic IT installed a few compact 4020s and 4030s throughout the space so they could serenade unsuspecting passerby. Music, courtesy of a Yamaha MTX5-D matrix processor, wafts through the air like a gentle caress on your eardrums.
Consistency is Key
Istvan Stenberg, head of audio, sums it up perfectly: “Since all our studios and speakers are set up using GLM, our mixes translate seamlessly across different environments. Additionally, the consistency between Genelec models helps maintain cohesion throughout the entire audio production process.” Look at this guy! He’s like the audio messiah over here, preaching the sound gospel while the rest of us are just trying to find the right Spotify playlist!
In short, Ubisoft Stockholm has pulled a fast one by engineering a space where technology isn’t just about the visuals. They’re taking the sound experience to a whole new level. As they say in the games world, it’s not just about playing; it’s about feeling. And with this setup, their sound team isn’t just happy—they’re practically singing!
Ubisoft Stockholm, a prominent subsidiary of the renowned French video game giant Ubisoft, is celebrated as one of the most influential video game publishers globally.
Upon relocating to a sleek new office in the vibrant suburb of Hagastaden, Stockholm, the studio embraced cutting-edge Genelec loudspeaker systems tailored for both dynamic game development and inviting leisure areas.
Tiwia chief executive Pär Hörnell expresses his deep appreciation for Genelec’s long-standing collaboration: “I’ve worked with Genelec for many years. We had excellent support from them, including a visit to the new Experience Centre in Stockholm, where we were able to plan and create a final proposal for Ubisoft.”
The center of attraction in Ubisoft’s new office is an exceptional 9.2.4 Dolby Atmos room, furnished with a large screen to facilitate demos, presentations, and screenings, showcasing their latest innovations.
Tiwia expertly installed three powerful Genelec 8350 speakers behind the display as left, center, and right channels, complemented by ten 8340s positioned around the room for immersive surround and overhead sound. The dynamic acoustics are enriched with a pair of 7370 subwoofers, creating a harmonious audio experience.
All the speaker systems seamlessly integrate with Genelec’s innovative GLM software, which Tiwia utilized to enhance and perfect a fully immersive listening environment. This state-of-the-art room is also interconnected to their sound studios through a high-end Focusrite RedNet Dante system, ensuring unparalleled audio performance.
“It’s a cool and truly multi-functional space that serves as a beautiful demo room for visiting journalists and press events, but also internally for reviews, presentations, training sessions and more,” says Domander. “It also forms an important part of the workflow for our audio team, who love using it.”
In another impressive studio, the main 7.1.4 Atmos studio features three three-way coaxial 8331 speakers built into the front wall for left, center, and right channels, supported by four two-way 8330s for immersive surrounds, along with an additional four overheads. A smart active 7360 subwoofer rounds out a sophisticated audio setup.
The second studio is designed as a 5.1 recording/listening space, expertly equipped with five 8330 speakers installed as surrounds, enhanced by a compact 7350 subwoofer dedicated to delivering powerful low frequencies.
In the main atrium, Logic IT has strategically distributed two compact 4020 Genelec loudspeakers alongside six larger 4030 models throughout the area. A sophisticated Dante network allows for the seamless playback of music via a Yamaha MTX5-D matrix processor, enriching the atmosphere.
Istvan Stenberg, head of audio at Ubisoft Stockholm, emphasizes: “Since all our studios and speakers are set up using GLM, our mixes translate seamlessly across different environments. Additionally, the consistency between Genelec models helps maintain cohesion throughout the entire audio production process.”
“We truly enjoy the variety and versatility of our studio set-ups – we’re a very happy sound team.”
