Activision Blizzard: 500 Ubisoft employees sign an open letter in support for strikers

Ubisoft employees wrote an open letter to those of Activision Blizzard Protestant after the response of their leaders to the accusations of harassment and discrimination.

Blizzard Activision workers,

We hear you and want to declare high and strong our solidarity with you. During last week, the game industry was again shaken by revelations that have long been known for too many of us. Revelations which, a year ago, concerned Ubisoft.

It is clear, according to the frequency of the facts reported, that there is a widespread culture and deeply rooted by abusive behaviors within the industry. This should no longer be a surprise for anyone - employees, executives, journalists or fans - that these odious acts occur. It's time to stop being shocked. We need to require concrete steps to prevent them. Managers must answer for their actions.

We believe you, we are at your side and we support you.

This shared missive on Twitter by Stephen Totilo, ex editor-in-chief of Kotaku now axios journalist, we owe it to about 500 people working or having worked in one of the 32 studios of Ubisoft. The signatories here explain that certain practices cease and that impunity is no longer the norm.

The revelations on Activision Blizzard, for which the answers made were considered insufficient, motivating a strike on the campus of the group, echo those concerning the French company. The latter is also targeted by a complaint, filed a few days ago, following the revelations last year from the Liberation newspaper. Several important frameworks were gone, and a great reorganization had begun.

The second part of the letter is just addressed to Yves Guillemot's firm:

At the direction of Ubisoft,

We undersigned, have enough. It has been more than a year than the first revelations of systemic discrimination, harassment and intimidation within Ubisoft are out. At the time, you were surprised to hear about these acts in your own business and we gave you the benefit of the doubt. However, we have seen nothing more than a year of kind words, of hollow promises and a disability or a reluctance to return the known abusers. We do not trust your commitment to deal with these issues at the base. You must do more.

This is a question of going further than reassuring words, group sessions or interviews, displeasing the "accomplices pillars", less publicized people who, when they would not have resigned could have simply changed from studio or Having had a promotion. Request a place at the table of discussions on these topics, cosignaries expand again:

We basically need a real change, within Ubisoft, from Blizzard Activision, and all the industry.

It is proposed that major players in the industry come together and agree on rules and processes to face harassment or sexism facts, inviting employees in lower positions hierarchically and union representatives.

reaction without details

Ubisoft answered a few hours later.

We have read the letter signed by the elders and current Ubisoft employees. We have a deep respect for the engagement of our teams that put pressure for changes within our industry. We want to be very clear about the fact that we take this letter - and the problems it raises - very seriously. Over the past year, we are committed to working with our employees to implement fundamental changes. Many of these changes have been motivated by internal comments and ideas shared by our teams and we are grateful for this continuous communication.

Ubisoft has made significant and meaningful changes that aim to create a safe and inclusive work environment for all, and there is still work to be done. We absolutely support these efforts and the positive impact they have had On our corporate culture, while recognizing that we must continue to engage with our employees to ensure a workspace where they feel valued, supported and, above all, safe.

It is hard to bet that the next days should be still very agitated. A movement is running and it will be interesting to see if other companies want to register in a sustainable change that can only be beneficial, by responding to claims that can only be approved.