Ubisoft Responds to Disturbing Abuse Allegations at External Studio

Ubisoft has issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding allegations of severe mental and physical abuse at Brandoville Studio, an external support studio that contributed to the development of Assassin's Creed Shadows. The report, detailed in a recent People Make Games YouTube video, paints a disturbing picture of workplace conditions.

While the abuse did not occur within Ubisoft itself, the company strongly condemns such actions. The video alleges that Kwan Cherry Lai, the commissioner and wife of Brandoville's CEO, subjected employees to a range of abuses, including:

• Mental and physical abuse of employee Christa Sydney.
• Forced religious worship.
• Extreme sleep deprivation.
• Coercion into self-harm, with the act filmed.
• Salary withholding under the guise of financial assistance.
• Overworking a pregnant employee, resulting in premature birth and the subsequent death of the child.

Further allegations from other Brandoville employees corroborate these claims.

Brandoville Studio, founded in 2018 and based in Indonesia, ceased operations in August 2024. Reports of abusive practices reportedly date back to 2019, a period during which the studio worked on projects such as Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are currently investigating these allegations and seeking to question Kwan Cherry Lai, although her current location in Hong Kong complicates the process.

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 measures, both for internal and external collaborators. The pursuit of justice for Christa Sydney and other alleged victims remains uncertain.