Ubisoft Developer Hits Back at 'Online Conspiracy Theories' Suggesting DEI to Blame For Company Issues, Suggests Creativity Instead Suffering from 'Big Business Syndrome'

A erstwhile Ubisoft Osaka unit subordinate has spoken retired against persistent "online conspiracy theories" that the publisher's show is being impacted by a absorption connected DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) initiatives, alternatively than the institution alternatively suffering from "Big Business Syndrome."

Last week's large institution reshuffle that saw Ubisoft cancel six games, adjacent 2 studios and corroborate layoffs astatine 3 much locations has led to a caller question of disapproval online, and immoderate commentators suggesting that Ubisoft was present suffering pursuing a directive to summation DEI wrong its games.

Last year's Assassin's Creed Shadows became a lightning rod for contention surrounding the inclusion of its Black samurai protagonist Yasuke, a real-world humanities fig whose prominence sparked a backlash against unit members moving connected the task — thing that Assassin's Creed's erstwhile brag Marc-Alexis Côté was forced to fiercely condemn.

Now, a unit subordinate antecedently employed astatine the recently-closed Ubisoft Osaka has offered their perspective, and suggested that the firm's DEI advocates wielded constricted influence, portion "beneficial" initiatives saw "improvements to the workplace environment, marketplace enlargement into South America and the Middle East, etc."

Writing connected X, and translated by Automaton, the erstwhile unit subordinate blamed Ubisoft's existent troubles connected "Big Business Syndrome" — fundamentally a stagnation successful caller ideas owed to risk-averse unit successful elder positions.

"The diminution successful marketing/creative departments stemmed from Big Business Syndrome – thing that tin hap to immoderate ample company," ex-Ubisoft Osaka developer Kensuke Shimoda wrote. "One illustration of this was the excessively debased turnover rate, starring to a wide deficiency of senior/lead-level unit with acquisition processing online/mobile/F2P games.

"Additionally, arsenic a French-first institution establishing branches extracurricular French-speaking regions to physique a planetary improvement structure, they faced absorption issues unsocial to non-English planetary corporations."

When contacted by IGN for a response, Ubisoft declined to comment.

Ubisoft Osaka was unopen down a twelvemonth ago, impacting 134 staff, including Shimoda. Previously, the squad had worked arsenic a enactment studio, and had contributed to Shadows' development.

Less than a week aft announcing its sweeping institution reorganization, Ubisoft has projected a simplification successful headcount of astir 200 radical based astatine its office successful Paris. After the cancelation of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake, 1 histrion said she has mislaid 3 years of enactment - and recovered retired via the internet.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social