Union Says 1,200 Ubisoft Staff Went on Strike This Week, Protesting Closures, Cost-Cutting and Return-to-Office Mandate

One attendee held up a sign stating: “From offices to courts, no respite for the Guillemots,” referencing Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, and presumably the members of his family also employed within the company. Another, who wore a Rabbids mask to obscure their face, shared a sign that read: “There is money in the coffers of the employers!”

In Milan, employees held up signs including “Shareholders cannot make games” and “Don’t play with our lives.” An impromptu disco session also broke out, with striking staff dancing to chiptunes while waving banners.

“At this stage, it seems clear to us that Yves Guillemot has no knowledge or understanding of his company or its employees,” Solidaires Informatique union representative Marc Rutschlé said. “The company is continuing its cost reduction and layoff plan. Our teams are already working under pressure, often understaffed. After several years without pay rises (or very small increases), we understand that once again, employees will not receive a raise this year.”

Ubisoft’s Parisian offices have previously been the sight of protests against the company’s previous return-to-office stipulations. Last month, Ubisoft said its company reorganization would now reintroduce five-day office work as standard (albeit with an annual pool of remote working days).

The year began with Ubisoft announcing the cancelation of six games, the closure of two studios and further job losses at another three locations as part of its sweeping company reshuffle. Of the half dozen games that have now been fully scrapped, Ubisoft only publicly named one — its long-awaited Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake.

The firm also confirmed it had delayed a further seven games, including an unannounced title set for launch within the next two months that is widely expected to be the company’s under-wraps Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remaster.

Image credit: Solidaires Informatique

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social