Purchasers of video games increasingly weigh ethical factors alongside enjoyment when selecting titles, particularly in light of ongoing industry challenges. Ubisoft serves as a prime illustration, with internal troubles escalating steadily. Following the announcement of potential further staff reductions by the struggling firm earlier this week, employees at its Paris base have reached a breaking point and initiated plans for a brief work stoppage.
Labor organizations for Ubisoft's workforce intend to halt operations between February 10 and 12. The Video Game Workers' Union, known as Syndicat des Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo, issued a declaration urging all French-based staff to participate, backed by the five unions operating inside the organization, in response to leadership's rigid and controlling approach.
This action comes after multiple aggressive efforts to trim expenses at Ubisoft. The company shuttered its Halifax facility shortly after, specifically 16 days following the staff's formation of a union. In the preceding week, it terminated operations at its Stockholm location and revealed plans for broader global reorganizations. Additionally, Ubisoft scrapped development on six titles and postponed seven more.
Just days ago, the maker of Assassin's Creed suggested eliminating 200 positions from its Paris office. In compliance with French regulations, these reductions would proceed via the Collective Conventional Severance process, necessitating consensus between the employer and employee representatives.
Compounding tensions, Ubisoft has imposed a full five-day weekly office attendance requirement, reversing an earlier policy that permitted two remote workdays. Officials presented this shift as a means to boost productivity and teamwork, though many interpret it as a strategy to indirectly diminish employment numbers. A staff member at Ubisoft, who publicly criticized the policy on LinkedIn and implied its ulterior motives, faced a three-day unpaid suspension as repercussions.
Observing these developments, the employees' union mobilized against them. The Video Game Workers' Union demanded an end to leadership's fixation on cost savings and the degradation of workplace standards. They insisted on greater responsibility from top executives, noting that employee contributions combined with substantial government support fueled the company's expansion. The union asserted that the workforce embodies Ubisoft and will suspend activities from February 10 through 12.