Ubisoft is overhauling its work arrangements with a mandate that all employees return to offices five days a week, a decision that comes alongside the company’s plan to close several studios. The policy, framed as an effort to boost collaboration and creativity, has ignited backlash from unions and workers who see it as a tactic to reduce headcount without formal layoffs.
Under the new model, remote work will no longer be an option for most teams, though employees will receive a limited number of pre-approved work-from-home days annually. Ubisoft argues that in-person collaboration is essential for maintaining efficiency and innovation in a competitive AAA market, but critics argue the move is more about cost control than workplace dynamics.
The announcement follows a pattern of restructuring at Ubisoft, including recent studio closures and a voluntary career transition program that some employees interpreted as an indirect way to encourage resignations. The company has not ruled out further layoffs, with CEO Yves Guillemot stating that additional restructurings are part of its strategy to stabilize operations.
Industry reactions have been sharp. Unions, including the French gaming union Solidaires Informatique, have labeled Ubisoft’s restructuring ‘disastrous’ and called for strike action, demanding the preservation of remote work conditions. The union’s president has also questioned whether recent studio closures, such as the Halifax location, were motivated by anti-union sentiment rather than business needs.
Historically, return-to-office mandates have been linked to workforce reductions in other gaming companies. In 2023, Blizzard reportedly lost talent due to its RTO policy, and similar issues arose during ZeniMax’s contract negotiations with Microsoft, where workers cited underpayment and costly commuting costs as reasons for considering strike action.
Ubisoft’s latest decision adds to a growing trend of companies using workplace policies—such as office mandates—to indirectly reduce employee numbers while avoiding direct layoffs. Whether this strategy succeeds remains uncertain, but the immediate impact is clear: workers are facing significant disruptions, and unions are mobilizing in response.
