The latest target of Ubisoft’s eternal cutbacks is its head office, with 200 roles proposed to be cut from Ubisoft International in Paris. The company has started a voluntary redundancy program to deliver the cuts, with delivery to be negotiated with trade unions. GamesIndustry.biz understands the number represents 18% of the unit’s staff.
The news follows the company’s announcement of dramatic restructuring last week, in which it confirmed the cancellation of six games including the long-gestating Prince of Persia remake, the delay of seven more, a return to full-time in-office work and a “final” round of layoffs and studio closures designed to save €200 million.
The restructure formed the company into five “creative houses” each responsible for groups of game brands, supported by a central creative studio and a business operations division, and overseen by Ubisoft HQ. Today’s cuts are to the latter organisation, which is planned to handle strategy, finance and talent management along with maintaining a “forward looking view on industry trends, including technological developments and market innovations.” The process is not affecting the company’s other offices and studios in the country.
“In line with last week’s announcements on its new operating model and the acceleration of cost-reduction initiatives, Ubisoft International has initiated discussions regarding a potential Rupture Conventionnelle Collective (RCC), a collective, voluntary mutual termination agreement that could involve up to 200 positions at its headquarters in France,” the company said in a statement.
“At this stage, this remains a proposal, and no decision will be final until a collective agreement is reached with employee representatives and validated by French authorities. The proposal applies exclusively to Ubisoft International employees under French contracts and has no impact on other French entities or Ubisoft teams worldwide.”
Under French law, the RCC process is for employees to take voluntary redundancy by mutual agreement with the business, with eligibility for the process to be agreed in consultation with trade unions. The statement made no reference to compulsory redundancies, although a voluntary redundancy process at the company’s Massive Entertainment subsidiary last year was followed by additional layoffs this month, which lead to the closure of Ubisoft Stockholm.
The RCC process will be sure to attract spirited engagement from the French trade unions. Last week’s restructure was today denounced as “absurd” by Solidaires Informatique, which said that it caused “anger and despair” in the company. It described the return-to-office mandate as a “disguised redundancy plan, aimed at pushing employees outside the company,” while “at the same time, the reorganisation is creating a number of high-level positions with excessive salaries.” It said it was consulting with staff and other unions about industrial action.
