Ubisoft Workers Launch International Strike Over Job Cuts and Return-to-Office Mandate
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Ubisoft employees in France and Italy launched a multi-day strike to protest a strict return-to-office mandate and upcoming job cuts following major project cancellations.
According to a report by Polygon, Ubisoft employees in France and Milan launched a multi-day international strike on February 10 to protest sweeping organizational changes, job cuts, and a strict return-to-office mandate. The walkout follows a turbulent period for the publisher, which recently announced plans to eliminate up to 200 jobs, delay seven upcoming titles, and cancel six games entirely, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake. As reported by GamesIndustry.biz and GameRant, the strike was organized by a coalition of French unions following leadership decisions that also saw a veteran Assassin's Creed developer terminated over social media criticism.
The core flashpoint centers on a mandatory five-day in-office policy that has shocked a workforce largely accustomed to remote arrangements. Many staff members were originally hired on fully remote contracts and live hours away from company headquarters, making the sudden policy shift an impossible commute. Union representatives have pointedly criticized executive leadership, characterizing the mandate as an effective forced resignation tactic designed to bypass severance obligations during a broader corporate restructuring. While Ubisoft management has defended the moves as necessary cost-reduction initiatives and an operational reset following a 15-year low in share prices, communication with disgruntled workers remains strained.
For the broader gaming community, this labor action highlights ongoing tensions between corporate publishers and the developers building our favorite worlds. As digital economies shift and publishers recalibrate their portfolios, the human cost of these massive pivots becomes harder to ignore. Whether these coordinated union efforts will alter leadership strategy remains to be seen, but the solidarity shown by teams on the ground proves that the people behind the screens are demanding better treatment and genuine accountability from the top down.
Tags: Ubisoft, Industry News, Game Development, Labor Unions, Business
Original article: Polygon