Ubisoft fires 13-year Assassin's Creed veteran for criticizing return-to-office mandate
Ubisoft fired David Michaud-Cromp, a developer with 13 years working on the Assassin's Creed series, just days after suspending him for publicly criticizing the company's return-to-office policy. The firing comes amid sweeping changes at the company, including plans for mass layoffs.
In January, Ubisoft announced a return to five days per week on site for all teams, complemented by a limited annual allowance of work-from-home days. The company justified the decision by stating that "in-person collaboration is a key enabler of collective efficiency, creativity and success in a persistently more selective AAA market."
Michaud-Cromp publicly opposed this decision on LinkedIn, writing:
So... Ubisoft wanna bring back 5 days in the office... because they 'believe in collaboration'... but c'mon, we're not completely stupid... we very well know why you want to go back to 5 days in the office.
The developer attached a link to a video arguing that return-to-office policies essentially serve as a way to get rid of employees who prefer remote work, adding:
Spoiler alert: it's not about efficiency or collaboration.
A few days later, Michaud-Cromp received a three-day unpaid disciplinary suspension related to these comments. Now he's been fired entirely.
Today, I was terminated by Ubisoft, effective immediately. This was not my decision. I won't be discussing internal details or circumstances.
Michaud-Cromp joined Ubisoft in 2012 as a level designer on Assassin's Creed Unity. He continued level design work on Syndicate, Origins, Valhalla, and Watch Dogs Legion. Since 2022, he served as team lead for level design on Assassin's Creed Shadows.
In a statement to Kotaku, Ubisoft representatives stated:
Sharing feedback or opinions respectfully does not lead to a dismissal. We have a clear Code of Conduct that outlines our shared expectations for working together safely and respectfully, which employees review and sign each year. When that is breached, our established procedures apply, including an escalation of measures depending on the nature, severity, and repetition of the breach.
The firing comes amid broader company restructuring. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced plans to "accelerate our cost reductions initiatives to rightsize the organization," which will almost certainly involve mass layoffs. The company already proposed "voluntary" layoffs that could affect up to 200 employees at its Paris headquarters, prompting walkout threats from French unions.
