Summary
- Ubisoft responds to allegations of abuse at a contracted support studio.
- Brandoville Studio faces accusations of severe mental and physical abuse.
- Ongoing reports of abuse within the gaming industry underscore the urgent need for stronger employee protections.
Ubisoft has issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding a recent video report detailing alleged abuse at Brandoville Studio, an external support studio that contributed to Assassin's Creed Shadows. While the abuse did not occur within Ubisoft itself, the company strongly condemns such actions.
The issue of abuse in the video game industry is unfortunately not new. Numerous past reports have highlighted harassment, physical and mental abuse, and other serious workplace issues, including instances of bullying driving developers to suicidal thoughts. This latest report, from the YouTube channel People Make Games, shines a disturbing light on similar practices.
The video focuses on Brandoville Studio in Indonesia, where the commissioner, Kwan Cherry Lai (wife of the CEO), allegedly subjected employees to extreme abuse. These allegations include mental and physical abuse of employee Christa Sydney, forced religious practices, severe sleep deprivation, and even compelling Sydney to self-harm while filming the act. Ubisoft, in a statement to Eurogamer, expressed its profound distress over these revelations.
Further allegations have emerged from other Brandoville employees, detailing salary deductions under the guise of "assistance," and the overworking of a pregnant employee, resulting in premature birth and the subsequent death of her child.
Brandoville Studio's History and Demise
Founded in 2018 and based in Indonesia, Brandoville Studio ceased operations in August 2024. Reports of abuse allegedly date back to 2019. During its operational years, the studio provided support to major game developers on titles including Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are currently investigating these claims and reportedly seeking to question Kwan Cherry Lai, who has reportedly left the country and claims to be in Hong Kong.
The prospect of justice for Sydney and other alleged victims remains uncertain. The persistent reports of poor working conditions, abuse, and harassment across the gaming industry, both domestically and internationally, highlight a critical need for comprehensive measures to safeguard employees from harm, including threats and abuse from online sources.
