The Ubisoft Workers of Montreal Union has initiated a petition aimed at safeguarding a hybrid work arrangement for its members, and the appeal has already amassed more than three hundred signatures. According to reporting from Game Developer, the campaign was launched on September 30 by the Game Workers Unite Montreal (GWU) collective, which announced the effort across its social‑media channels.
The union’s message was clear and inclusive: every employee at Ubisoft Montreal is urged to add their name to the petition, and supporters from outside the studio are encouraged to spread the word within their own networks to amplify the call. In practice, the union has been encouraging staff to take advantage of break times to sign the document in person, noting that the majority of signatures have been collected through face‑to‑face interactions rather than online forms. The United Videogame Workers Union, operating under the umbrella of the CWA (UVW‑CWA), publicly endorsed the petition.
In its statement, UVW praised the Ubisoft Montreal union for "leading the change in our collective struggle for dignified work and economic justice," emphasizing that the push for hybrid work is part of a broader movement toward fairer labor conditions in the gaming industry. The supporting union highlighted several groups of workers who are disproportionately affected by blanket return‑to‑office policies. These include parents who need flexible schedules to care for children, employees with disabilities who may find remote work essential for accessibility, staff who have purchased homes far from the studio’s location, expatriates who relocated internationally to keep their jobs, and creative professionals who simply thrive in a remote environment. The statement warned that imposing strict office attendance without consulting the very people most impacted undermines both morale and productivity.
"By imposing harsh cost‑cutting measures and reneging on prior agreements, the leadership must be held accountable for the human cost of their decisions," the union wrote, underscoring the belief that corporate decisions should not come at the expense of workers’ well‑being. The backdrop to this dispute dates back to the beginning of the year, when Ubisoft announced a restructuring initiative called "Creative Houses." As part of that overhaul, the company introduced a mandatory return‑to‑office policy that requires all staff to be present in the office five days a week, while offering a limited annual allowance for work‑from‑home days. Ubisoft’s senior leadership has framed the policy as a means to boost collaboration and creative synergy. Marie‑Sophie de Waubert, senior vice‑president of studio operations, explained to GamesIndustry.biz that the goal is to "strengthen onsite collaboration, the collective dynamic across teams." She argued that in‑person interaction is a critical driver of efficiency, creativity, and overall success in a highly competitive market.
While acknowledging that hybrid work has its merits, de Waubert reiterated that the company believes a strong physical presence is one of the key enablers for delivering high‑quality AAA titles. De Waubert also indicated that the company intends to discuss the specifics of the new model with its various international offices, promising flexibility where possible. She emphasized that the ultimate aim is to improve the quality of Ubisoft’s games and the creative output of its teams, positioning the policy as a tool to help the newly formed Creative Houses regain momentum and foster team engagement.
Chief financial officer Frederick Duguet echoed a similar sentiment, stating that the company will continue to engage with employees and their representatives to fine‑tune the approach. He framed the shift as a strategy to "further boost collective performance for AAA projects," suggesting that the return‑to‑office mandate is seen as a lever for enhancing productivity on large‑scale productions. The tension surrounding Ubisoft’s restructuring and office policy is not new. In February, the studio experienced a three‑day international strike in response to the same changes, with at least 1,200 employees walking out in solidarity.
Marc Rutschlé, a representative of the Solidaires Informatique union at Ubisoft Paris, confirmed those participation figures to GamesIndustry.biz. Ubisoft later issued a separate statement indicating that 528 staff members had formally reported themselves as being on strike during that period. The current petition, therefore, represents a continuation of the broader labor unrest that has been building at Ubisoft over the past year. Workers are pushing back against what they see as top‑down mandates that overlook the diverse needs of a global workforce.
By gathering signatures and rallying external support, the Ubisoft Workers of Montreal Union hopes to pressure management into reconsidering the rigid five‑day office requirement and to adopt a more flexible, hybrid model that balances the benefits of in‑person collaboration with the realities of modern work life. If the petition reaches a critical mass, it could compel Ubisoft’s leadership to reopen negotiations on the terms of the return‑to‑office policy, potentially leading to a revised framework that allows for greater employee autonomy while still meeting the company’s objectives for creative output and team cohesion. The outcome of this effort will be closely watched by other unions and employee groups within the gaming sector, as it may set a precedent for how large studios handle the evolving expectations of a post‑pandemic workforce.