Ubisoft \'Deeply Disturbed\' By Assassin\'s Creed Shadows Support Studio Abuse Allegations

Ubisoft Responds to Disturbing Allegations of Abuse at External 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 worked on Assassin's Creed Shadows. While the abuse did not occur within Ubisoft, the company strongly condemns such actions.

The report, published by the YouTube channel People Make Games, details a pattern of abusive behavior allegedly perpetrated by Kwan Cherry Lai, the commissioner and wife of Brandoville's CEO. Allegations include mental and physical abuse, forced religious practices, sleep deprivation, and coercion of self-harm against employee Christa Sydney. Multiple Brandoville employees have come forward with similar accounts, including claims 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. Allegations of abuse reportedly date back to 2019, during which time the studio contributed to projects such as Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are investigating these claims and reportedly seeking to question Kwan Cherry Lai, although her current location in Hong Kong may complicate the process.

This incident underscores the ongoing problem of abuse and harassment within the video game industry. Numerous reports of poor working conditions, abuse, and even death threats highlight the urgent need for stronger employee protections and accountability mechanisms, both within individual companies and across the industry as a whole. The pursuit of justice for those allegedly harmed remains uncertain.