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 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. The allegations include instances of mental and physical abuse, forced religious practices, extreme sleep deprivation, and even the coercion of an employee, Christa Sydney, into self-harm while being filmed. Multiple Brandoville employees have corroborated these claims, citing further instances of financial exploitation and overwork, including a case resulting in a 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 worked on projects including Age of Empires 4 and Assassin's Creed Shadows. Indonesian authorities are currently investigating these claims and seeking to question Kwan Cherry Lai, who is reportedly now in Hong Kong.
This incident underscores the ongoing issue of abuse and harassment within the video game industry. Numerous reports of poor working conditions, harassment, and even death threats highlight the urgent need for stronger employee protections and accountability measures across the industry, both for internal and external contractors. The pursuit of justice for those allegedly abused at Brandoville remains uncertain.
