Developers at Ubisoft Paris and unionized employees are planning a coordinated walkout during a visit from CEO Yves Guillemot, after mounting backlash over the company’s recent restructuring, cost-cutting decisions, and proposed job cuts.
The French media reports on the planned protest by Ubisoft Paris workers, claiming that CEO Yves Guillemot will be met with a strike and demonstrations upon his visit to the studio, with some devs outright saying “he is not welcome.”
The labor action builds on broader unrest following the company’s announcement of a major corporate overhaul that aims to reduce costs by €200 million over the next two years. Part of the company’s plan also includes a Rupture Conventionnelle Collective, a voluntary mutual termination agreement under the French labor law that could see up to 200 staff members cut at Paris, about 18% to 20% of Ubisoft’s local workforce.
The proposal remains subject to negotiation with unions and regulatory approval.
Tensions escalated when Ubisoft execs signaled an end to previously negotiated remote work policies, requiring more in-office days from employees; a move many at Ubisoft see as disruptive to their work-life balance.
Ubisoft’s current cost-cutting and office policy changes led to widespread criticism by union leaders who argue that upper management at the company hasn’t adequately addressed concerns over job security, compensation, and morale.
Ubisoft Paris’ walkout coincides with a broader industry climate marked by Layoffs, game cancellations, and delays that directly impact job security and morale across the board among developers; and Ubisoft has been at the center of these for some time.
Ubisoft leadership is yet to publically detail how it plans to respond to the planned protest around their CEO’s visit.
