Ubisoft is facing backlash after announcing the layoff of 51 developers at its Barcelona studio, despite the recent monumental success of 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.' The game achieved a remarkable milestone by selling two million units within its first day of release and establishing a new record for concurrent players in the 'Assassin's Creed' series on Steam, drawing nearly 40,000 players simultaneously. This news follows earlier announcements last month regarding staff reductions at Ubisoft's Winnipeg and Belgrade offices.
Ubisoft Barcelona has historically been a crucial support studio for many of the publisher's flagship titles, contributing to popular franchises such as 'Assassin's Creed,' 'The Crew,' 'Ghost Recon,' and 'Immortals: Fenyx Rising.' Their most recent significant contribution was to 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced,' where the team was responsible for crafting all the intricate underwater environments, including the visually striking diving bell sites.
Manel Cota, a tech and gameplay animator from the Barcelona team, expressed his dismay on social media, stating, "Ubisoft Barcelona did all the underwater levels. And that same team is being fired right now because Ubisoft thinks that's what we deserve :)" This sentiment of betrayal is echoed by Isabel Codina García, a quality assurance lead, who reflected on the situation as a "bittersweet day." After dedicating over two and a half years to the 'Black Flag' remake, García lamented that the entire 'Assassin's Creed' team in Barcelona was notified of a collective redundancy plan. She added, "After seven years at Ubisoft Barcelona, this is not how I imagined it would end. But I am genuinely grateful for the people I have met and everything I have learned along the way."
In response to these developments, the affected employees are not remaining silent. La Confederación General del Trabajo, a Spanish union, has initiated a three-day strike starting today to protest the proposed job cuts at Ubisoft Barcelona. A flyer distributed by the union highlights their indignation, proclaiming, "After an intense production, the company claims a 'strategic shift' to justify these layoffs. After years of dedication to our team, the company has turned its back on us. We will never see the fruits of our labor, and the reward for our hard work will be the loss of our jobs."
The situation at Ubisoft Barcelona underscores a growing tension within the gaming industry, where widespread success for a title does not always translate into job security for the development teams behind it. The layoffs come at a time when the studio should be celebrating its significant achievements, sparking questions about corporate responsibility and employee welfare in a highly competitive market.
