Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced studio Ubisoft Barcelona goes on three-day strike in protest of layoffs
Despite the commercial success of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which sold 2 million copies on its launch day, Ubisoft Barcelona—a studio involved in the game’s development—is facing significant workforce reductions. The studio’s workers have initiated a three-day strike in protest of layoffs that were announced in June as part of broader restructuring at Ubisoft.
Up to 51 employees at Ubisoft Barcelona are affected by the cuts. The studio, which also supports development of Rainbow Six Siege, has seen negotiations ongoing between management and union-backed workers. A key point of contention is the severance pay offer, which striking employees have described as “below any reasonable standard.”
These layoffs at Barcelona are part of a larger wave of job losses across Ubisoft. The publisher announced 380 total staff reductions, affecting offices in Winnipeg, Barcelona, Belgrade (which will close entirely), and its global publishing division. The strike represents worker resistance to these cuts despite the financial success of one of the publisher’s major recent releases.