French entertainment company and video game developer Ubisoft will open its first entertainment centre this summer in suburban Montreal. The child-friendly, 15,000 square foot video game-focused complex will be located in the heart of a major retail hub, acting as a place for parents to drop off children while adults shop nearby. Montreal's Ubisoft centre will be the first in the world of its kind for the company.

According to CBRE Montreal Associate Vice President Gina Mastromonaco who negotiated the deal, the Ubisoft concept will launch across Canada as locations are secured, ideally near substantial retail nodes. The Montreal Ubisoft, for example, will be located at Méga Centre des Sources, a short drive from CF Fairview Pointe Claire shopping centre as well as nearby big box retail centres featuring anchors such as Costco, Canadian Tire, and Leon's Furniture.

Ms. Mastromonaco said that a number of similar centres will be rolled out across Canada, ideally in areas featuring substantial retail activity that may include big box stores, busy shopping centres, and even outlet centres. Ubisoft's child-friendly centres will therefore compliment existing retail nodes, creating an amenity for parents with children who might otherwise not be able to shop conveniently.

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Ubisoft spent two years researching and planning for the new centre, which will be targeted to children under the age of 12. Parents may drop off their children at the centre, or even participate/watch activities. Scheduled to open in August, Ubisoft Montreal will draw on the company's popular Rabbids video game franchise, and Ubisoft will release more details about the centre towards its opening date.

Farla Efros, President of leading consultancy HRC Advisory, said that the new Ubisoft entertainment concept is a great addition to the Canadian retail scene. Ubisoft's centres will give families another reason to go out, with the child drop-off capability allowing parents some time to shop alone. This added shopping time will be particularly beneficial to some retail areas that have recently seen declines in foot traffic, given the increasing popularity of e-commerce, Ms. Efros noted.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: May 2, 2016