Ubisoft Montpellier evacuated after bomb threat prompts police response

Nearly 800 people were evacuated from Ubisoft’s Montpellier studio on Thursday after a bomb threat triggered a large-scale police operation in southern France.

According to French newspaper Midi Libre, authorities received an email on February 19 warning of an explosive device inside the company’s building in Castelnau-le-Lez. Police ordered approximately 500 employees to leave the premises and secured the surrounding area.

Around thirty gendarmes, including members of the PSIG intervention unit, were deployed to the studio at 85 rue Didier-Daurat. Officers established a security perimeter and blocked nearby roads while search teams inspected the site.

Firefighters from Hérault also attended the scene. Bomb disposal specialists conducted a systematic sweep of the building with the assistance of a trained explosive detection dog, moving room by room as a precaution.

Nearby businesses were also evacuated, bringing the total number of people cleared from the area to nearly 800.

“At this stage, no lead is being prioritised. The aim is to ensure that no danger remains for anyone,” a source close to the case told Midi Libre.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the threat was credible and have not ruled out the possibility that it was a hoax.

Clearance operations continued as officials worked to verify that the studio and surrounding area were safe before permitting staff to return.

The incident follows a previous security scare involving the company. In November 2020, employees at Ubisoft Montreal evacuated to the roof of their building amid reports of a potential hostage situation. Police later determined that the incident was a hoax, and no injuries were reported.