Summary
- Ubisoft responds to allegations of abuse at a contracted support studio.
- Brandoville Studio faces accusations of severe mental and physical abuse.
- The gaming industry's ongoing struggle with abuse underscores the urgent need for stronger employee protections.
Ubisoft has issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding a recent video report detailing alleged mental and physical abuse at Brandoville Studio, an external support studio that contributed to Assassin's Creed Shadows. While the abuse occurred outside of Ubisoft's direct operations, the company strongly condemns such actions.
The issue of abuse in the video game industry is unfortunately not new. Numerous reports have surfaced over the years detailing harassment, physical and mental abuse, and other harmful workplace practices, including instances of bullying leading to suicidal ideation among developers. This latest report, from YouTube channel People Make Games, shines a light on a particularly disturbing situation.
The report alleges a highly toxic and abusive environment at Brandoville, spearheaded by Kwan Cherry Lai, the wife of the CEO and commissioner of the game development team. The allegations against Lai include mental and physical abuse of employee Christa Sydney, enforced religious practices, extreme sleep deprivation, and even compelling Sydney to self-harm while recording it. Ubisoft, in a statement to Eurogamer, expressed profound distress over these claims.
Further allegations have emerged from other Brandoville employees, including claims of salary withholding under the guise of financial assistance, and the overworking of a pregnant employee, resulting in premature birth and the subsequent death of her child.
Brandoville Studio: History and Uncertain Future
Founded in 2018 and based in Indonesia, Brandoville ceased operations in August 2024. Allegations of abuse reportedly date back to 2019, during which time the studio worked on significant titles including Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are investigating these claims and reportedly seek to question Kwan Cherry Lai, though her reported relocation to Hong Kong complicates the matter.
The pursuit of justice for Sydney and other alleged victims remains uncertain. The persistent emergence of reports concerning poor working conditions, abuse, and harassment across the gaming industry, both domestically and internationally, highlights the critical need for enhanced employee safeguards. This includes protecting workers not only from internal abuse but also from external threats such as online death threats.
