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 contributed to the development of Assassin's Creed Shadows. While the abuse did not occur within Ubisoft itself, the company strongly condemns such actions.

The report, published by YouTube channel People Make Games, details a pattern of alleged abuse perpetrated by Kwan Cherry Lai, the commissioner and wife of Brandoville's CEO. Allegations include mental and physical abuse, forced religious practices, extreme sleep deprivation, and the coercion of employee Christa Sydney into self-harm while being filmed. Multiple Brandoville employees have corroborated these claims, citing instances of withheld wages, excessive overwork (including of a pregnant employee who subsequently suffered a premature birth and infant loss), and other forms of mistreatment.

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 including Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are currently investigating these allegations and seeking to question Kwan Cherry Lai, who is reportedly now in Hong Kong.

This incident underscores the ongoing issue of abuse within the video game industry. Numerous reports of harassment, abuse, and poor working conditions continue to surface globally. The case highlights the urgent need for stronger protections and accountability mechanisms to safeguard employees from such exploitation, regardless of whether the abuse originates from within a company or from external sources like online harassment. The pursuit of justice for those allegedly harmed remains uncertain.