It was not an easy year for Ubisoft: sales of several games fell short of expectations, and other projects had to be discontinued or postponed. Savings measures were therefore announced to investors, and the Ubisoft boss made an urgent appeal to his employees. But it didn’t have the desired effect at the studio in Paris.
Sexism issues at Ubisoft
The French developer and publisher has been accused of a toxic corporate culture since July 2020. It’s about sexism problems and discrimination, which should be deeply rooted in the company. Ubisoft has now removed some people from the management level and commented on the allegations.
We previously reported why things are going badly for Ubisoft and how the company wants to take countermeasures:
more on the subject
Ubisoft takes radical steps because 2022 went so badly
Appeal to employees met with incomprehension
Shortly after our report on Ubisoft’s troubles, it was revealed that CEO Yves Guillemot had sent an email to Ubisoft staff which, among other things, appeared to contain the following statement:
Now more than ever, I need all your energy and commitment to ensure we get back on the path to success. […] I also ask that each of you be extra careful and strategic about spending and initiatives so that we can be as efficient and economical as possible. […] It’s your turn now to deliver this line-up on time and in the expected quality, and to show everyone what we can achieve.
However, Guillemot’s statements are not well received by the union that represents Ubisoft Paris employees. A tweet calls for a strike on January 27:
link to Twitter content
Because one fears that Guillemot’s appeal has tangible consequences in its luggage. he tries blaming the employees
and his words would mean that he wants overtime and unhealthy workloads for the employees.
It is feared that the savings announced in a press release would also come at the expense of the workforce. Layoffs, the dissolution of studios, salary cuts and more are likely to be planned.
The employees calling for a strike are therefore calling for several far-reaching measures:
- An immediate 10 percent pay rise to offset high inflation
- An improvement in working conditions, in particular the introduction of a 4-day week
- Transparency regarding workforce development, locally and internationally
- Take decisive action against hidden layoffs and business practices that pressure employees to resign
It seems unlikely that Ubisoft Paris will implement these comprehensive proposals. It remains to be seen, of course, to what extent the union’s efforts will be crowned with success.
Things are not going well at Ubisoft
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Shortly after the postponement: Ubisoft’s Skull & Bones shows tons of new gameplay
Ubisoft seems to have lost its way for some time, which was already indicated in the publisher’s latest projects. We don’t even want to talk about Skull & Bones, which has now been postponed for the sixth time. The latest titles from major brands such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, as well as the new Siedler, have had to take harsh criticism – also from our editors. In the podcast we recently spoke about whether the new strategy for Assassin’s Creed can lead the company out of the crisis.
