Ubisoft's Paris Facility Faces Burnout Crisis as Employees Suffer from Crunch Culture, Claims French Union and Survey

According to the French union Solidaires Informatique, workers at Ubisoft's Paris facility are suffering from burnout as a result of the company's "crunch culture."

A recent survey found that approximately 10% of employees who worked on the latest Just Dance game experienced burnout to varying degrees. The percentage of Ubisoft Paris employees who call in sick is also increasing.

drained

NME investigated the claims and spoke with an anonymous employee who confirmed the existence of issues during the pre-production of Just Dance 2023. Management allegedly pushed the team to the breaking point by forcing various game ideas through, leaving employees "morally and physically drained." Despite promises to hire more people, employees were encouraged to work longer days, with regular working hours ranging from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Just Dance and others

The issues appear to be related to Ubisoft's desire to make Just Dance 2023 a "live service game," with management opposing the team's roadmap. The game was eventually released in November 2022, just in time for the holiday season.

However, the problems are not limited to Just Dance, as an anonymous source revealed that "every project at Ubisoft Paris is affected by crunch culture." Other titles developed by the studio include Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, Watch Dogs, and Ghost Recon: Breakpoint.

toxic

This latest report raises serious concerns about Ubisoft's treatment of its employees, especially given the company's history of toxic workplace culture. It remains to be seen whether the company will take action to address these concerns and avoid further worker burnout.