Ubisoft union says morale is “anger and despair” after restructuring, holds strike in France
Ubisoft is facing fresh internal pushback in France after its recent restructuring plan. French games industry union Solidaires Informatique says it organized a strike last Thursday (January 22), calling it an initial response to what it described as “absurd” management decisions.
According to the union, the mood inside Ubisoft’s studios has worsened as cost-cutting continues and employees worry about job security, pay, and a stricter return-to-office policy. The union is also planning further action in France and in other regions alongside other Ubisoft unions, though it did not share dates.
Solidaires Informatique says it wants Ubisoft to end its cost-cutting plan, keep and expand remote work options, and deliver “decent pay rises this year.” Union representative Marc Rutschlé, based at Ubisoft Paris, argued that teams are already working under pressure and understaffed, while employees have seen little to no pay growth over several years.
The dispute also ties into Ubisoft’s push for full-time office work five days a week, a policy the company has framed as a way to improve AAA development performance. A previous wave of resistance hit in September 2024, when more than 700 Ubisoft France employees walked out for three days over home working and pay.
Rutschlé claimed some staff fear they could lose their jobs if they cannot comply with the mandated office schedule, describing the policy shift as a “disguised redundancy plan.”
Le Monde reported that around ten people attended the January protest. Ubisoft had not publicly responded in the source report, and GamesIndustry.biz said it reached out to the company for comment.
