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In the wake of a company walkout at Blizzard’s headquarters in Irvine, California, hundreds of Ubisoft employees have penned an open letter to company management supporting those participating in the Activision Blizzard protest while also criticizing Ubisoft’s handling of workplace discrimination.
In the open letter shared with Axios, nearly 500 current and former Ubisoft developers directly address the Activision Blizzard situation. The group said it is “time to stop being shocked” by the harrowing accounts of workplace harassment and gender discrimination that frequently pop up. They go on to say that “those responsible must be held accountable for their actions” and intend to send the letter to management, including CEO Yves Guillemot.
“We believe you, we stand with you and support you,” the Ubisoft group wrote in the letter. “It should no longer be a surprise to anyone: employees, executives, journalists, or fans that these heinous acts are going on. It is time to stop being shocked. We must demand real steps be taken to prevent them. Those responsible must be held accountable for their actions.”
The open letter also calls out Ubisoft for its handling of sexual misconduct and the accusations levied against multiple people at the company since last summer’s smattering of allegations. The group is frustrated, seeking a seat at the table during company-wide decision-making on how to move forward.
“We have stood by and watched as you fired only the most public offenders,” the group said. “You let the rest either resign or worse, promoted them, moved them from studio to studio, team to team, giving them second chance after second chance with no repercussions. This cycle needs to stop. […] This collaboration must heavily involve employees in non-management positions and union representatives. This is essential to ensure that those who are directly affected by these behaviors are leading the change.”
Activision Blizzard has been in boiling hot water since last week, when California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed a lawsuit against the company that accused it of perpetuating a “frat house” workplace. The company’s been running damage control ever since, with multiple executives–including Blizzard president J. Allen Brack–issuing commitments to change the culture to make it more inclusive for employees of all genders or sexual orientations. Even Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick promised company changes following an earlier, more contentious statement.
Ubisoft was also accused of fostering a “frat house” workplace last year. Despite high-profile firings of some of those accused of sexual harassment and hiring for new roles like Chief People Officer, an investigation in May 2021 reported that these changes have had a “minimal” effect on the company. Ubisoft countered this statement, saying it remains committed to doing better.
