Things May Not Be Getting Better For Ubisoft
After a whirlwind of sexual misconduct and harassment allegations in the summer of 2020, it seemed as though "Assassin's Creed" developer Ubisoft was on its way to finding a solution. As reported by Business Insider, multiple accused executives stepped down in a move to lessen the toxic culture at the company. However, the behavior that previously plagued Ubisoft has apparently not been entirely corrected, according to Le Télégramme (translation via GamesIndustry.biz).
Solidaires Informatique Jeu Vidéo (STJV), a union for employees in the gaming industry, has been leading the charge to take Ubisoft to court, despite the fact that Ubisoft has allegedly made changes aimed at correcting the behavior of its employees. One of these changes, for instance, involved sensitivity training, which 20,000 Ubisoft members received. Another change was the addition of a "non-negotiable interdiction" to Ubisoft's code of conduct regarding sexual behavior, which was previously nowhere to be found, according to an elected STJV representative.
In addition to these moves, which impacted both lower-level workers and higher-ups at Ubisoft, there have been a series of new appointments and resignations among top-level Ubisoft executives. For example, Christophe Derennes replaced Yannis Mallat as the head of Ubisoft Montreal following the latter's sexual misconduct allegations. Further, chief people officer Anika Grant replaced HR Director Cécile Cornet, who also stepped down after multiple allegations were made last year (per GamesIndustry.biz).
However, according to more recent reports Ubisoft's HR department still employs the people who assisted in the covering for the people engaging in toxic behavior.
Ubisoft's current state
In response to GamesIndustry.biz's request for comment following the report, an Ubisoft representative countered that the gaming company "has implemented major changes across its organization, internal processes and procedures in order to guarantee a safe, inclusive and respectful working environment for all team members."
The representative also reiterated some of the changes already made at the company, including the more comprehensive code of conduct and the set of new job appointments. The rep also mentioned that new initiatives would be "rolled out over the coming months" that should "help ensure every team member at Ubisoft is heard, respected and valued in the workplace." Even so, one anonymous source informed Le Télégramme that "nothing has changed" at Ubisoft.
On the development side of things, Ubisoft still has multiple projects in the works, including the transformative "Far Cry 6" and a game developed in collaboration between Ubisoft and Lucasfilm. It is unclear how these projects may still be affected by Ubisoft's continued shakeups and legal issues.