Ubisoft Montreal therefore finds itself facing an internal revolt. Beyond a concern for preferences, part of their employees are simply no longer located in Montreal, requiring an express move to satisfy management. Great princes, the leaders of Ubi give them eight weeks to find new accommodation – if they can.”prove“their situation. For all others, it is compulsory to return two days a week”without exception“, which still risks disrupting the organization of certain families at short notice.
Crisis of confidence
According to IGN, the reactions of employees on Mana, Ubisoft’s intranet, have been extremely virulent, and the reactions of management are far from calming the fire. IGN were able to consult internal documents attesting that “100% remote will be possible according to different criteria, including productivity and impact within the team as well as the nature of the work carried out“There was no indication that this policy could ever be abruptly repealed.
Our colleagues depict a studio already weakened after a big wave of departures in 2021, caused by insufficient institutional responses to the sexual harassment scandals affecting the Ubisoft group. The Montreal branch has already increased salaries, as well as the amount of paid leave, to cajole its workforce, but these benefits clearly cannot erase the breakdown in confidence in the hierarchy. We can also theorize that the studio is under pressure in terms of work, having recently recovered the re-reboot of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a project under tension which no longer has the right to make the slightest error with fans. Between old remnants of unpunished harassment and workload, the sparkling reputation of Ubisoft Montreal is taking a big hit in the face.
Ubisoft Montreal wished to react to the IGN article, indicating that “open conversations and deep individual adjustments are underway to ease this transition and its impact on everyone’s well-being, which remains our number one priority to continue creating great games“However, given the situation, it seems that it is not so much the politics as the further loss of trust that can really harm team cohesion. This is reminiscent of the recent Unity monetization scandal where, despite a thigh-wrenching backpedal, many developers preferred to flee the platform rather than risk another unilateral reversal of the situation.
Elsewhere in the world, it’s also a bad idea
Earlier in the year, Activision Blizzard (who else…) already attempted a forced return to the office, requiring a minimum of three days of presence from April 10. After the presentist action came the consequences: many Blizzard employees deplored the immediate departure of “fantastic people“, according to testimonies reported by Kotaku, departures which significantly disrupted organizational planning. Given their obsession with historical reenactment through Assassin’s Creed and For Honor, Ubisoft Montreal could learn from the past. It seems that HR is slow to grasp job market trends.
Remember that the London branch of Ubisoft, dedicated to the Hungry Shark mobile franchise, has just closed its doors. 54 workers find themselves left behind as their intellectual properties and responsibilities are transferred to the Ubisoft Barcelona Mobile studio.