Ubisoft Responds to Allegations of Abuse at External Support 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 and highlights the disturbing prevalence of abuse within the gaming industry.
The YouTube channel People Make Games detailed allegations against Kwan Cherry Lai, Brandoville's commissioner and wife of the CEO. These allegations include accusations of mental and physical abuse, forced religious practices, extreme sleep deprivation, and coercion of self-harm against employee Christa Sydney. Multiple Brandoville employees have corroborated these claims, adding further allegations of wage theft 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 abusive practices reportedly date back to 2019, during which time the studio worked on projects such as Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are currently investigating these claims and seeking to question Kwan Cherry Lai, although her current location in Hong Kong presents a challenge.
The ongoing investigation underscores the persistent problem of abuse and poor working conditions within the gaming industry globally. This case, along with numerous past reports of harassment, bullying, and even death threats, emphasizes the urgent need for stronger employee protections and a more robust response to such allegations. The future of justice for those allegedly abused at Brandoville remains uncertain.
