Ubisoft Responds to Disturbing Abuse Allegations at External Studio
Ubisoft has issued a statement expressing deep concern regarding allegations of 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 urgent need for better worker protections within the gaming industry.
A recent exposé by the YouTube channel People Make Games detailed harrowing accounts of abuse perpetrated by Kwan Cherry Lai, the commissioner and wife of Brandoville's CEO. These allegations include the mental and physical abuse of employee Christa Sydney, forced religious practices, extreme sleep deprivation, and even compelling Sydney to self-harm while recording it. Additional testimonies from other Brandoville employees corroborate these claims, citing salary withholding, excessive overwork of a pregnant employee (resulting in premature birth and the infant's subsequent death), and other forms of mistreatment.
Brandoville Studio, founded in 2018 and based in Indonesia, ceased operations in August 2024. Reports of abusive practices allegedly date back to 2019, during which time the studio collaborated on high-profile projects like Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are currently investigating these allegations and seeking to question Kwan Cherry Lai, who reportedly claims to be in Hong Kong.
The gaming industry continues to grapple with widespread issues of poor working conditions, abuse, and harassment. This case underscores the critical need for stronger protections and accountability mechanisms to safeguard employees from both internal and external threats, including online harassment and death threats. The pursuit of justice for those allegedly abused at Brandoville remains uncertain.
