Ubisoft Responds to Disturbing Allegations of Abuse at External Studio
Ubisoft has issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding a recent video report alleging severe mental and physical abuse at Brandoville Studio, an external support studio that contributed to the development of Assassin's Creed Shadows. While the abuse did not occur within Ubisoft itself, the company strongly condemns such actions.
The report, published by the YouTube channel People Make Games, details a pattern of abusive behavior allegedly perpetrated by Kwan Cherry Lai, the commissioner of the Brandoville development team and wife of the CEO. Allegations include mental and physical abuse, forced religious practices, extreme sleep deprivation, and the coercion of an employee, Christa Sydney, into self-harm while being filmed. Multiple employees have come forward with similar accounts, including instances of salary withholding and the overworking of a pregnant employee, resulting in premature birth and the subsequent death of the child.
Brandoville Studio, founded in 2018 and based in Indonesia, ceased operations in August 2024. Reports of abuse allegedly date back to 2019, during which time the studio worked on several high-profile 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, although her current location in Hong Kong presents a challenge.
This incident underscores the ongoing issue of abuse and poor working conditions within the video game industry. Numerous reports of harassment, abuse, and even death threats highlight the urgent need for stronger employee protections and accountability mechanisms, both within individual companies and across the industry as a whole. The outcome for Sydney and other alleged victims remains uncertain, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the systemic issues that need to be addressed.
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