Ubisoft Workers Unite: Three-Day Strike Planned in Protest of Company's Cost-Cutting Measures
As the video game industry continues to grapple with a perfect storm of financial woes and shifting player expectations, Ubisoft has found itself at the forefront of a growing crisis. The beleaguered publisher recently announced that it would be slashing 200 jobs at its Paris headquarters, sparking outrage among employees who feel they are being forced to bear the brunt of the company's cost-cutting measures.
But Ubisoft workers say their struggles go far beyond just layoffs. They claim that the company has been waging a war on worker rights and dignity for years, with a recent directive requiring them to return to the office five days per week sparking widespread outrage.
"This is about more than just jobs - it's about our very way of life," said one Ubisoft developer, who spoke out against the mandate in a LinkedIn post. "We've been told we have to work from home just two days a week, but now we're being forced back into the office five days a week. It's like they think we're not capable of working remotely."
The developer was suspended without pay for three days as a punitive measure, and his comments have sparked widespread sympathy among Ubisoft employees.
"We're calling for a HALT to management's obsession with penny-pinching and worsening our working conditions," said the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo in a statement. "It's time for real accountability from company executives, starting from the top! Without the workers, and generous public funding, Ubisoft would never have been able to grow this much. WE are Ubisoft, and WE are shutting it down February 10th to 12th!"
In response to growing dissent among its workforce, Ubisoft will now be forced to negotiate with labor unions as part of a new cost-cutting plan. The company's decision to shut down several studios and cancel multiple games has left many employees feeling undervalued and unappreciated.
The union-led strike is set to begin on February 10th and will run for three days, bringing the company to its knees in protest of what its workers see as an attack on their rights.
As the video game industry continues to grapple with a perfect storm of financial woes and shifting player expectations, Ubisoft has found itself at the forefront of a growing crisis. The beleaguered publisher recently announced that it would be slashing 200 jobs at its Paris headquarters, sparking outrage among employees who feel they are being forced to bear the brunt of the company's cost-cutting measures.
But Ubisoft workers say their struggles go far beyond just layoffs. They claim that the company has been waging a war on worker rights and dignity for years, with a recent directive requiring them to return to the office five days per week sparking widespread outrage.
"This is about more than just jobs - it's about our very way of life," said one Ubisoft developer, who spoke out against the mandate in a LinkedIn post. "We've been told we have to work from home just two days a week, but now we're being forced back into the office five days a week. It's like they think we're not capable of working remotely."
The developer was suspended without pay for three days as a punitive measure, and his comments have sparked widespread sympathy among Ubisoft employees.
"We're calling for a HALT to management's obsession with penny-pinching and worsening our working conditions," said the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo in a statement. "It's time for real accountability from company executives, starting from the top! Without the workers, and generous public funding, Ubisoft would never have been able to grow this much. WE are Ubisoft, and WE are shutting it down February 10th to 12th!"
In response to growing dissent among its workforce, Ubisoft will now be forced to negotiate with labor unions as part of a new cost-cutting plan. The company's decision to shut down several studios and cancel multiple games has left many employees feeling undervalued and unappreciated.
The union-led strike is set to begin on February 10th and will run for three days, bringing the company to its knees in protest of what its workers see as an attack on their rights.
Idk if I agree with the devs protesting the return-to-office mandate... like, they need to meet their deadlines, right? 
On the other hand, yeah, 200 jobs is a lot and it's not cool that they're cutting costs without even considering how it'll affect the people who actually do the work. 
But at the same time, if devs can't handle working from home for two days a week, maybe they should reevaluate their priorities? 
And what's with all this talk about workers shutting down the company? Like, we're not the ones getting paid to make games, you know? 
... it's not fair at all! They're already working hard, creating amazing games, and now they're being forced back into the office 5 days a week? That's just too much 
. And being suspended without pay for speaking out? 
That's just cruel.
. I'm sending all my love and solidarity to these brave workers who are standing up for what they believe in 
... we got this! 
. I mean, come on, who doesn't love working from home a few days a week? It's not like they're slacking off or anything - it's just about flexibility and work-life balance. And now they're being forced back into the office five days a week? It's like, hello, burnout city 
.
. It's like they're getting squeezed from all sides - job security is a major concern with these cost-cutting measures, and now being forced back into the office five days a week is just plain unfair 
. I get that companies need to make money, but at what cost? Employee morale is already low in this industry, and if Ubisoft doesn't address these issues, it could have long-term consequences for productivity and creativity 
. I mean, requiring them to go back to the office 5 days a week after being allowed to work from home for two days? That's just gonna burn out anyone who has been dealing with remote work for so long 
.
. I feel like Ubisoft employees are being used as a sacrifice for the sake of profit, and that's just not cool 
.
... just did some research and saw that employee turnover rates have been increasing by like 25% since 2020, and productivity has actually gone up 
. But the thing is, Ubisoft's revenue is still raking it in - they're projected to hit $10.3 billion in annual sales this year 
. It's a perfect storm of burnout and frustration...
. Three-day strike? That's some serious commitment 
. What do you guys think? Should companies prioritize profits over people's well-being, or is it time for a change of heart? 
those cost-cutting measures are all well and good but at what cost? 
i mean, who's gonna pick up the slack when you axe 200 jobs? it's like they think the rest of the company can just keep on truckin' without anyone to show for it 
five days a week? are they trying to suck the creativity outta them or what? 
. I'm sure it's not easy being a remote worker and feeling like you can't even do your job from home sometimes. I've heard some good things about Ubisoft's games, but I never thought I'd be sympathizing with their workers 
. Guess this means we'll have to wait for new games now 
...
.
. Instead, they get suspended without pay for speaking out against management's penny-pinching ways.
. Like, what kinda management does that to its own people? And now they're threatening to "shut it down" if things don't get their way? Please, like we haven't seen this before.