Ubisoft Reacts to Assassin's Creed Studio Abuse Allegations

Ubisoft Responds to Allegations of Abuse at External Studio

Ubisoft has issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding allegations of 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.

A recent exposé by the YouTube channel People Make Games details disturbing accounts of abuse allegedly perpetrated by Kwan Cherry Lai, the commissioner and wife of Brandoville's CEO. These allegations include mental and physical abuse, forced religious practices, severe sleep deprivation, and coercion of self-harm against employee Christa Sydney. Multiple Brandoville employees have corroborated these claims, citing additional instances of financial exploitation and the overworking of a pregnant employee, resulting in premature birth and the subsequent death of her 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 collaborated 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 presents a challenge.

This incident underscores the ongoing issue of workplace abuse within the video game industry. Numerous reports of harassment, abuse, and poor working conditions continue to surface, highlighting the urgent need for stronger employee protections and accountability measures. The situation at Brandoville serves as a stark reminder of the systemic problems that need to be addressed to ensure a safer and healthier environment for all game developers. The pursuit of justice for those allegedly harmed remains uncertain.