Veteran ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Dev Fired By Ubisoft After Serving Three-Day Suspension For Criticizing Return-To-Office Orders
After 13 years helping chart the course for the Assassin Creed franchise, Ubisoft has handed the pink slip to long-time series mission/quest designer David Michaud-Cromp – a decision that while normally nothing to write home about, raises eyebrows in this instance due to it being made just shortly after the dev was handed a brief suspension for criticizing the company’s recent return-to-work order.
The catalyst for this saga came on February 21st when, after years watching their reputation and profits tumble due to mismanagement of their IPs, Ubisoft announced that they would be undertaking “a major organizational, operational, and portfolio reset”.
“Today’s announcement introduces a radically new value-creation model: a more gamer-centric organization, structured around creative genres, relying on integrated business units with faster, decentralized decision-making and a greater ability to quickly adapt to players’ expectations. This transformation will be supported by a rightsized and more agile organization, delivering improved structural efficiencies over time.”
As part of this shake-up, the French developer further confirmed that in service of “supporting the effective implementation and operation of this new model,” it had also chosen to “return to five days per week on site for all teams, complemented by an annual allowance of working-from-home days.”
“This evolution is intended to strengthen collaboration, including constant knowledge sharing, and the collective dynamic across teams. In-person collaboration is a key enabler of collective efficiency, creativity and success in a persistently
more selective AAA market.”
Enter Michaud-Cromp.
Finding himself particularly unhappy with this demand, the Assassin’s Creed vet took to his personal Linkedin page to share, alongside a video form YouTuber Damon Cassidy on the topic of “Why Companies FORCE People Back In The Office”, his less-than-favorable thoughts on the matter, decrying “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…”
Unfortunately for Michaud-Cromp, his public criticism would land him in hot water with Ubisoft leadership, as the next day he would return to his LinkedIn to offer the “professional update” that “Ubisoft informed me today of a three-day unpaid disciplinary suspension, effective tomorrow.”
“The measure was presented to me as being related to public comments I expressed regarding the company’s return-to-office policy, and based on an alleged breach of the duty of loyalty,” he explained. “I am sharing this information for transparency purposes. I take note of the decision and will make no further comment at this time.”
And though he would briefly return to the fold after serving his suspension, Michaud-Cromp would ultimately be shown the doors just three days thereafter, with the developer announcing on January 2nd that “Today, I was terminated by Ubisoft, effective immediately.”
“This was not my decision,” the now-former Assassin’s Creed designer asserted. “I won’t be discussing internal details or circumstances. I’m taking time to regroup and will share next steps when appropriate.”
Given both parties respective and voluntary silences on the matter, it’s presently unknown what role, if any, Michaud-Cromp’s above posts played in his firing from Ubisoft.
