Ubisoft’s CEO has apologized for recent comments that seem like blaming the current crisis on employees. For those who are uninformed,Ubisoftis a French video game company headquartered in Montreuil with several development studios around the world. It was founded in March 1986 by five brothers of the Guillemot family as a computer game publisher. Today,Ubisoft is one of the leading game publishers in the world, with a large portfolio of popular franchises, includingAssassin’s Creed,Tom Clancy’s,Just Dance, andRabbids.
However, in recent months, Ubisoft’s situation has not been ideal. Significant projects were pushed back, and multiple titles were stuck in development purgatory, accompanied by misadventures in the NFT realm, and sexual harassment scandals. This has prompted the French studio to revamp its strategies and, consequently,scrap seven unannounced titles in the past few months.
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A few days ago, Yves Guillemot, the CEO of Ubisoft, wrote an email to the staff asserting that it was up to them to verify the company’s games are released on time. He implored them to give their all if the organization is to return to its prior prosperity. Guillemot’s comments that “the ball is in [their] court” instantly backfired; as a result, Solidaires Informatique, a French trade union, contactedUbisoft Paris employees and asked them to hold a half-day strike on January 27. Now, it is reported that Yves Guillemot has apologized for his comments in a company-wide Q&A session.
According to Kotaku, during the Q&A, a staff member asked why employees have to be held accountable for cleaning up messes caused by the leadership.Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot responded by asserting that his statements were taken out of context; he wasn’t implying that he was disappointed in his employees' work, rather he was encouraging them to go the extra mile to guide the company out of its dire situation. This endeavor, of course, starts with him and the management team to ensure that everyone can work together to reach success.
Kotaku also noted that the clarification offered some developers a sense of assurance, however, many still believe that the administration has a lack of understanding and was unable to allay any fears. Employees are the lifeblood of any business, and if they are operating in an environment of fear, it is impossible for the firm to achieve success. Fear can breed insecurity, which leads to poor decision-making, lack of creativity and innovation, and low productivity. So, in order to create a successful business, it is essential to create a workplace where employees feel safe, valued, and respected.
Every business faces its fair share of ups and downs, and it looks like Ubisoft is no exception. In fact, itsCEO has even gone on record to say that 2023 is a make-or-break yearfor the company. Hopefully, the company will be able to recover and continue to produce great games and experiences for its fans.
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