Ubisoft workers in France are summoning their collective power to protest the latest restructuring and cost-cutting decisions at the mega publisher, with five unions calling for a "massive international strike" in early February.
According to a joint statement on Bluesky and reported by Game Developer, five Ubisoft unions--STJV, Solidaires Informatique, CGT, CFE-CGC, and Printemps Ecologique--are proposing that all Ubisoft employees stop working from February 10-12 to combat a "CEO who doesn’t even dare talking to employees anymore." This work stoppage is in response to Ubisoft's return-to-office mandate, studio closures and game cancellations in the wake of its major restructuring, workforce-reduction suggestions, and general employee disrespect.
"We are not fooled: Rather than taking responsibility for layoff, they prefer to push us out by making our working conditions unbearable," the statement reads. "It's outrageous. Our colleagues carry on, hold fast, endure, out of solidarity, out of love for the industry, and out of passion. But enough is enough! It is because we love Ubisoft that this situation revolts us!"
The unions cited how the latest decisions, particularly the Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (a voluntary mutual termination agreement) that could see upwards of 200 French developers lose their jobs, were news they learned at the same time as everyone else. Noting the dismissive way with which Ubisoft management has disregarded or ignored its workers' creativity and dignity, the unions said they felt compelled into stringent action.
"It is time for our management to understand that they cannot do whatever they want, whether with public money or the work of hundreds of people," the statement continues. "Without us, Ubisoft would never have conquered and transfored video games as it has done. We are history, We are Ubisoft."
The unions said that management treats them like "children who need to be supervised," all the while the company "gets away with lies and breaking the law."
This comes just two days after a report found that "anger and despair [reign] supreme" at the company, with all of the news that's coming to light following the massive restructuring. On January 22, Ubisoft announced plans to split its development teams into five "creative houses" that will oversee specific franchises, which resulted in games getting canceled--including the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake--and studios shutting down.
GameSpot has reached out to Ubisoft regarding the call for a strike and will update this story should we receive a response.
Source
According to a joint statement on Bluesky and reported by Game Developer, five Ubisoft unions--STJV, Solidaires Informatique, CGT, CFE-CGC, and Printemps Ecologique--are proposing that all Ubisoft employees stop working from February 10-12 to combat a "CEO who doesn’t even dare talking to employees anymore." This work stoppage is in response to Ubisoft's return-to-office mandate, studio closures and game cancellations in the wake of its major restructuring, workforce-reduction suggestions, and general employee disrespect.
"We are not fooled: Rather than taking responsibility for layoff, they prefer to push us out by making our working conditions unbearable," the statement reads. "It's outrageous. Our colleagues carry on, hold fast, endure, out of solidarity, out of love for the industry, and out of passion. But enough is enough! It is because we love Ubisoft that this situation revolts us!"
The unions cited how the latest decisions, particularly the Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (a voluntary mutual termination agreement) that could see upwards of 200 French developers lose their jobs, were news they learned at the same time as everyone else. Noting the dismissive way with which Ubisoft management has disregarded or ignored its workers' creativity and dignity, the unions said they felt compelled into stringent action.
"It is time for our management to understand that they cannot do whatever they want, whether with public money or the work of hundreds of people," the statement continues. "Without us, Ubisoft would never have conquered and transfored video games as it has done. We are history, We are Ubisoft."
The unions said that management treats them like "children who need to be supervised," all the while the company "gets away with lies and breaking the law."
This comes just two days after a report found that "anger and despair [reign] supreme" at the company, with all of the news that's coming to light following the massive restructuring. On January 22, Ubisoft announced plans to split its development teams into five "creative houses" that will oversee specific franchises, which resulted in games getting canceled--including the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake--and studios shutting down.
GameSpot has reached out to Ubisoft regarding the call for a strike and will update this story should we receive a response.
Source