Ubisoft Singapore Faces Union Action Amid Concerns Over Compensation and Workplace Environment

A union action is being organized against Ubisoft Singapore by the Creative Media and Publishing Union (CMPU) due to concerns regarding workplace conditions, equality, and employee compensation. According to reports, a ballot exercise is being conducted among eligible team members to determine whether the union should be formally recognized. Ubisoft has stated that it values open dialogue with its employees and believes it has adequate mechanisms in place to maintain a positive work environment. However, the studio has faced previous accusations of fostering a toxic culture, which was investigated by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices in 2021. The publisher claims that systems are in place to handle misconduct reports. Meanwhile, Ubisoft's pirate game, Skull & Bones, has lost its third creative director since development began in 2013. Elisabeth Pellen, who joined the project in 2018 to reboot its creative direction, has left Ubisoft Singapore to return to the company's headquarters in Paris. Despite Ubisoft's assertion that it's common for creative directors to move on to new projects, sources suggest that Pellen's departure was unexpected. The game's development has been troubled, with multiple delays since its initial expected launch in 2018. Following a closed beta, Ubisoft expects the game to be released before the end of its current fiscal year in March 2024, although no internal release date has been set.