Workers at Ubisoft’s Paris headquarters voted to strike from February 10 to 12, organized by the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo and five other unions within the company, in response to recent cost-cutting measures including studio closures, game cancellations, proposed layoffs, and a return-to-office mandate.
The strike action targets management’s decisions amid ongoing restructuring at Ubisoft. Unions representing employees issued a statement declaring, “With management being stubbornly entrenched in its authoritarian ways, we are calling Ubisoft employees across France to join this strike, along with the five unions present within the company.” This mobilization follows the shutdown of Ubisoft’s Halifax studio, which occurred just 16 days after its employees unionized. The rapid closure raised concerns among workers about the company’s approach to labor organization.
🇬🇧✊🌀 Ubisoft : enough is enough! Faced with the arbitrary decision of the CEO who doesn’t even dare talking to employees anymore, unions are calling for a strike on February 10th, 11th and 12th.
— Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (@stjv.fr) 2026-01-28T12:10:47.000Z
Ubisoft closed its Stockholm studio last week and announced additional restructuring efforts across its worldwide operations. These moves form part of a broader cost-cutting strategy that includes the cancellation of six games and delays to seven others. The publisher has faced financial pressures, prompting these operational changes to streamline resources and focus development efforts.
Earlier this week, Ubisoft proposed reducing 200 jobs at its Paris headquarters. The company plans to implement these cuts through France’s Rupture Conventionnelle Collective process, which requires mutual agreement between the employer and labor unions under French labor law. This procedure allows for collective layoffs negotiated with worker representatives, specifying terms for severance and transitions.
Compounding tensions, Ubisoft mandated a return to the office five days per week for its employees. Previously, the company permitted two work-from-home days each week. Ubisoft described the policy as aimed at improving efficiency and collaboration among teams. However, the change has drawn opposition from staff.
One Ubisoft developer publicly opposed the mandate on LinkedIn and received a three-day suspension without pay as a punitive measure. This incident highlighted internal conflicts over the policy’s enforcement and its potential impact on employee flexibility.
The unions responded to these developments with a call to action. The Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo stated, “We’re calling for a HALT to management’s obsession with penny‑pinching and worsening our working conditions.” The group further demanded, “It’s time for a real accountability from company executives, starting from the top! Without the workers, and generous public funding, Ubisoft would never have been able to grow this much. WE are Ubisoft, and WE are shutting it down February 10th to 12th!” These statements underscore the workers’ position that their contributions, alongside public support, have driven the company’s expansion.
