'We are shutting it down:' Ubisoft unions call for international strike
A cohort of unionized Ubisoft employees in France have called on all workers to join a "massive international strike" in protest against a five-day return-to-office mandate and widespread cost-cutting at the company.
Ubisoft unions STJV, Solidaires Informatique, CGT, CFE-CGC, and Printemps Ecologique are encouraging employees to down tools for three days from February 10 to February 12.
The strike has been called in response to the colossal reorganisation announced by Ubisoft last week, which will see the company restructure its studio system around five 'Creative Houses.'
The decision has already resulted in project cancellations and studio closures—and more downsizing and upheaval will follow, with Ubisoft planning a €200 million cost-cutting initiative and a return-to-office mandate that will require all teams to work on-site five days a week.
In a joint statement posted on Bluesky, all five unions said the nature of the plan and the manner in which it was communicated internally shows a disregard for the rights and wellbeing of employees.
"On January 21, 2026, Yves Guillemot announced the end of remote work, closure of several studios, cancellation of projects, and a new €200 million 'cost-cutting' plan. We were informed of this this at the same time as the press—as none of these changes had been discussed during the mandatory consultations with the works council a few days earlier," reads the statement.
"On January 26, 2026, management announced the implementation of a voluntary departure plan that will affect 200 people at Ubisoft's headquarters. These decisions are forcing us to act in order to protect those who keep this company alive. Since Ubisoft's founding in 1986, it seems clear today that management has lost sight of the very driving force behind our industry: it's workers."
The unions claim Ubisoft management is now actively undermining the creativity of its workforce, the future of its studios, and the need for constructive dialogue.
They have also accused leadership of treating employees like "children who need to be supervised" with the implementation of the return-to-office mandate, and described the move as an "arbitrary decision" that rubbishes remote working agreements that have been in place at some internal studios since September 2025.
"We are told about responsibilities, but those who wield this word so easily do not take any responsibility for the consequences of their catastrophic management," continues the statement.
"[...] It's time for our management to understand that they cannot do whatever they want, whether with public money or the work of hundreds of people. Without us, Ubisoft would never have conquered and transformed video games as it has done. We are history, we are Ubisoft."
