Hope this kind of content is allowed in this commnity !

For context: CGT is the main union in France, this is an AMA run by union members of the CGT Ubisoft branch, but there are also other unions calling for a strike (STJV, Solidaires Informatique, CFE-CGC Fieci, CGT, Printemps Ecologiques)

Hello everyone,

We are members of the CGT Ubisoft, and today, we are available to answer your questions until the end of the day.

We are here to discuss everything related to our union experience at Ubisoft, working conditions in the video game industry, and the reasons that led us to call for a strike on October 15.

Do not hesitate to ask your questions, whether it is about the role of the union, the current situation at Ubisoft, or our recent actions. We are here to discuss and provide transparent answers.

We will try to answer most of your questions. However, we may not be able to answer those considered confidential

You can also find us on Instagram to follow our news: https://www.instagram.com/cgtubisoft/

I will translate questions / answers in a comment chain below

  • inlandempire@jlai.luOPEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    Q:

    Isn’t the return to on-site work just a disguised layoff plan, which would fit in with the wave of massive layoffs that the sector has been experiencing for some time? A little off topic: There are rumors of a buyout by Tencent (or at least a significant increase in their stake in Ubi’s capital), how do you feel about it internally?

    A:

    Decisions concerning the structuring of shareholding at Ubisoft are completely beyond the control of employees. We have no information on this subject.

    Q:

    How are the rumors of a buyout by Tencent perceived internally? Is the atmosphere the same as during the rumors of Vivendi’s purchases a few years ago?

    Given the recent critical success of the latest Prince of Persia (I don’t know if the game was profitable though), isn’t this a sign for Ubisoft’s management to trust its internal talents more to make more original games rather than wanting to jump on any trend (nft, service games, etc.) even if it means alienating certain developers and consumers?

    A:

    Employees follow the media on the buyout rumors, which worries them. Employees and ourselves are attached to the collective work of Ubisoft, which is a flagship of the French video game industry. We work to defend employment and our working conditions.

    What is new within Ubisoft is the union fact, which gives employees a voice and concrete action to defend their rights.

    • inlandempire@jlai.luOPEnglish
      1·
      1 month ago

      Q:

      Is there a way/effort to enlist colleagues from other countries? Or does the legal framework elsewhere make such action too risky?

      A:

      We represent French employees. But there are efforts being made in other countries to unionize. However, this is not our responsibility and we prefer not to go into this subject.

      Q:

      What was your position on the death of The Crew 1 video game, and the vague statements of the guy who said “players are going to have to get used to not owning their games anymore”? Were there any attempts to prevent the servers from being disconnected (which eventually happened)? In any case, it caused such a stir that Ivory Tower recently said they were going to implement an offline mode for The Crew 2 and Motorfest.

      A:

      We, who are also gamers, see, like you, that the pressure from the financial markets leads to decisions that do not serve the interests of players.