A former Ubisoft Osaka workers member has spoken out towards persistent “on-line conspiracy theories” that the writer’s efficiency is being impacted by a deal with DEI (Variety, Fairness and Inclusion) initiatives, somewhat than the corporate as an alternative struggling from “Large Business Syndrome.”
Final week’s main firm reshuffle that noticed Ubisoft cancel six video games, shut two studios and ensure layoffs at three extra places has led to a contemporary wave of criticism on-line, and a few commentators suggesting that Ubisoft was now struggling following a directive to enhance DEI inside its video games.
Final yr’s Murderer’s Creed Shadows turned a lightning rod for controversy surrounding the inclusion of its Black samurai protagonist Yasuke, a real-world historic determine whose prominence sparked a backlash towards workers members engaged on the undertaking — one thing that Murderer’s Creed’s former boss Marc-Alexis Côté was compelled to fiercely condemn.
Now, a workers member beforehand employed at the recently-closed Ubisoft Osaka has supplied their perspective, and steered that the agency’s DEI advocates wielded restricted affect, whereas “helpful” initiatives noticed “enhancements to the office surroundings, market growth into South America and the Center East, and so on.”
Writing on X, and translated by Automaton, the previous workers member blamed Ubisoft’s present troubles on “Large Business Syndrome” — basically a stagnation in new concepts due to risk-averse workers in senior positions.
“The decline in advertising/artistic departments stemmed from Large Business Syndrome – one thing that may occur to any giant firm,” ex-Ubisoft Osaka developer Kensuke Shimoda wrote. “One instance of this was the excessively low turnover price, main to a transparent lack of senior/lead-level workers with expertise creating on-line/cell/F2P video games.
“Moreover, as a French-first firm establishing branches outdoors French-speaking areas to construct a worldwide growth construction, they confronted administration points distinctive to non-English international firms.”
When contacted by IGN for a response, Ubisoft declined to remark.
Ubisoft Osaka was shut down a yr in the past, impacting 134 workers, together with Shimoda. Beforehand, the staff had labored as a help studio, and had contributed to Shadows’ growth.
Lower than per week after saying its sweeping firm reorganization, Ubisoft has proposed a discount in headcount of round 200 individuals primarily based at its headquarters in Paris. After the cancelation of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake, one actress mentioned she has misplaced three years of labor – and came upon by way of the web.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You may attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social