Ubisoft Workers Launch Strike Following Massive Game Cancellations and Strict Return-to-Office Mandates

AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·

Ubisoft Workers Launch Strike Following Massive Game Cancellations and Strict Return-to-Office Mandates

Ubisoft workers represented by Solidaires Informatique launched a strike to protest sweeping game cancellations, studio closures, and a mandatory return-to-office policy.

Ubisoft is facing a sharp backlash from its workforce following a sweeping wave of studio restructurings, game cancellations, and sudden policy shifts. According to a report by Rock Paper Shotgun, the French game industry union Solidaires Informatique organized a half-day strike in response to what workers are calling disastrous cutbacks. The unrest follows management decisions to bin off six titles, including the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, delay seven other projects, and close Ubisoft Stockholm alongside ongoing layoffs.

The immediate trigger for the walkout, however, is a mandated return-to-office policy that replaces flexible remote work with a strict annual allowance of home office days. While leadership has defended the move as a necessary step to enhance collective efficiency and workplace culture, employees view it as an aggressive attack on their working conditions. Many in the industry also recognize strict return-to-office mandates as a soft layoff tactic that forces out employees who rely on remote setups for family or accessibility reasons.

This labor action highlights a broader friction point across the games industry, where major publishers lean heavily into corporate restructuring, live-service pivots, and generative AI integration while frontline developers bear the human cost. As unions push back against both job insecurity and rigid office policies, the message from the workforce remains clear. Real games are built by people, and player communities are watching closely as developers fight to protect the livelihoods of the creators behind their favorite titles.

Tags: Ubisoft, Industry News, Labor Unions, Game Development, Remote Work

Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun