Last year Ubisoft was hit by allegations about working conditions and sexual abuse, at one year nothing seems to have changed
Behind the hype culture, the excitement of new consoles and games, there is a part of the industry that is far from beautiful to see. A part of the industry where crunch and abuse are unfortunately a reality and we must talk about to wish the best for the future. In this case the focus is on Ubisoft. The company was hit a year ago by terrible allegations about the toxic conditions of the workplace and equally serious, if not more serious given the topic, implications of sexual abuse by some managers in multiple locations. A year after these accusations, the situation at Ubisoft does not seem to have changed.
This news comes from a report in the French press, in the newspaper Le Tèlègramme which reports how the company has done only minimal actions to improve working conditions. To begin with, the accused have largely maintained their position. Even the Human Resources who helped cover up the abuse are still employed in their respective Ubisoft companies. Among these are also figures with multiple, proven implications of bullying and abuse.
Not even in Ubisoft Canada, where the studio head changed over the course of the year, are there noticeable changes. Ubisoft for its part claims to have plans for actions to improve the working environment, some of which have already been added in the new code of conduct. However, the report also talks about several employee-driven but completely rejected initiatives, including the proposal to hire more women to increase the diversity of studies.
In response to the report, after the American site GameIndustry.biz asked Ubisoft for clarification, the company replied that it has made major changes within the structure of the company in an effort to ensure a safe, inclusive and respectful working environment for all members of the various teams.
