The Ubisoft Workers of Montreal Union has initiated a petition aimed at safeguarding the hybrid work arrangement that many of its members rely on, and the campaign has already attracted more than three hundred signatures. The effort, which began on September 30, was publicised through the union’s social‑media channels and quickly gathered momentum among both Ubisoft staff and supporters outside the company. According to reporting by Game Developer, the union – formally known as Game Workers Unite Montreal (GWU) – rolled out the petition with a clear call‑to‑action: every employee at Ubisoft Montreal is urged to add their name, and anyone who sympathises with the cause is encouraged to spread the word within their own networks.
The union’s messaging highlighted the importance of collective participation, noting that many of the signatures have been collected in person during brief breaks when coworkers can gather around a shared workspace or cafeteria table. The petition’s language stresses that the hybrid model – a blend of on‑site and remote work – is not a perk but a critical component of many employees’ ability to balance professional responsibilities with personal circumstances. The United Videogame Workers Union (UVW‑CWA) publicly endorsed the petition, praising the Ubisoft Montreal union for "leading the change in our collective struggle for dignified work and economic justice." In its statement, UVW‑CWA underscored how top‑down policies such as a blanket return‑to‑office mandate can disproportionately affect a wide range of workers: parents juggling childcare, individuals with disabilities who need accommodation, staff who have purchased homes far from the studio, expatriates who relocated internationally for the job, and creatives who simply thrive when given the flexibility to work remotely.
"Return‑to‑office directives are often imposed without meaningful input from the very people whose daily lives they reshape," the union wrote. "These policies ignore the lived realities of parents, caregivers, people with mobility challenges, and those who have built lives far from the studio’s doorstep. When leadership resorts to aggressive cost‑cutting and reneges on previously negotiated agreements, they must be held accountable for the human cost of those decisions." Ubisoft’s own restructuring plan, announced earlier in the year, introduced the concept of "Creative Houses" – semi‑autonomous studios designed to foster tighter collaboration and accelerate development pipelines. As part of that restructuring, the company instituted a return‑to‑office requirement that expects staff to be present in the office five days a week, with only a limited number of work‑from‑home days allotted annually.
The rationale, as explained by senior vice‑president of studio operations Marie‑Sophie de Waubert to GamesIndustry.biz, is that face‑to‑face interaction "strengthens onsite collaboration and the collective dynamic across teams. In‑person collaboration, she argued, is a key driver of efficiency, creativity, and overall success in an increasingly competitive market." De Waubert added that the company intends to discuss the specifics of the new model with each country’s local teams, allowing for a degree of flexibility that reflects regional needs.
"Our ultimate goal is to enhance the quality of our games and the creativity behind them," she said. "Hybrid work is one of several tools we can use to reconnect our Creative Houses with success and team engagement." Chief Financial Officer Frederick Duguet echoed a similar sentiment, emphasizing that the shift is meant to "boost collective performance for AAA titles" and that discussions with employees and their representatives will continue.
He framed the change as part of a broader effort to improve productivity and maintain Ubisoft’s competitive edge in the global market. The tension between management’s push for a full‑time office presence and employees’ desire for flexibility is not new.
In February of this year, Ubisoft faced a three‑day international strike that saw roughly 1,200 workers walk out in protest of the restructuring and the return‑to‑office mandate. Union representative Marc Rutschlé of Solidaires Informatique confirmed the participation numbers to GamesIndustry.biz.
Ubisoft later released a statement indicating that 528 staff had officially registered as being on strike, highlighting the depth of dissent within the organization. The current petition can be seen as a continuation of that activism, but with a more focused objective: preserving the hybrid work option that many employees view as essential for work‑life balance.
By gathering signatures both digitally and in person, the union hopes to demonstrate to Ubisoft’s leadership that a substantial portion of the workforce values flexibility and that any policy changes should be negotiated rather than imposed. Supporters of the petition argue that hybrid work does not merely benefit individual employees; it can also serve the company’s interests. Studies across the tech industry have shown that flexible work arrangements can lead to higher employee satisfaction, lower turnover, and even increased creativity – all factors that are crucial for a studio that relies on innovative game design and long development cycles.
Moreover, retaining talent in a highly competitive market often hinges on offering work conditions that align with modern expectations. As the petition gains traction, the union plans to present the collected signatures to Ubisoft’s senior management, seeking a formal dialogue about how the hybrid model can be integrated into the Creative Houses framework.
The hope is that a compromise can be reached that respects both the company’s strategic goals and the legitimate concerns of its workforce. In summary, the Ubisoft Workers of Montreal Union’s petition represents a concerted effort by employees and allied unions to protect hybrid work arrangements amid a broader corporate shift toward in‑office mandates. With over three hundred signatures already secured, the campaign underscores the growing demand for flexible work policies that accommodate diverse personal circumstances while still fostering collaboration and creative output.
The outcome of this push could set a precedent for how large game development studios negotiate work‑style policies in the future.