Summary

• Ubisoft responds to abuse allegations at support studio.
• Brandoville Studio accused of mental, physical abuse.
• Reports of abuse in the gaming industry highlight need for better protection.

A recent video report detailing alleged mental and physical abuse at an external support studio has received a response from Ubisoft, which calls it "deeply disturbing." While the abuse didn't transpire at Ubisoft itself, the support studio did work on Assassin's Creed Shadows.

Unfortunately, abuse in the video game industry is not a new topic, with reports of harassment, mental and physical abuse, and other issues arising over the years. Reports and claims have arisen of things like bullying, leading game developers to consider suicide, for example. Sadly, it seems another similar report has now appeared.

Rather than there being abuse within Ubisoft directly, the video from YouTube channel People Make Games has taken a deep dive into a situation involving an external support studio. It alleges that the commissioner of the game development team at Indonesian studio Brandoville was extraordinarily toxic and abusive towards those working there. The commissioner, Kwan Cherry Lai - notably the wife of the CEO of Brandoville - reportedly put employee Christa Sydney through mental and physical abuse, forced religious worship, severe sleep deprivation over the course of four days, and even forced Sydney to physically harm herself while filming it. Ubisoft has issued a response to Eurogamer regarding the video, stating that the company is "deeply disturbed" about the report, and condemns abuse of any kind.

More workers at the studio have come forward with similar allegations, including Kwan Cherry Lai taking away parts of their salary to "help" with their spending, or overworking a pregnant employee, who ended up giving birth prematurely. Their child later passed away in a hospital.

Brandoville Studio's History and Fate

Brandoville was established in 2018, with headquarters in Indonesia, and shut down in August of 2024. Reports of abuse apparently go as far back as 2019. During those years, the studio reportedly assisted game developers with some major releases, including Age of Empires 4 and the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows. Since then, these claims have begun to be investigated in Indonesia, and the police are reportedly looking to question Kwan Cherry Lai. However, People Make Games notes that she has since claimed to be in Hong Kong, so it remains to be seen if the Indonesian police can locate her.

Whether Sydney and the others who were allegedly subject to abuse will find justice is unknown for now. In both the US and elsewhere, reports of poor working conditions, abuse, and sexual harassment continue to arise in the game industry. It's clear that more needs to be done to protect employees, whether they're being abused by internal employees or are going through abhorrent things like death threats from the internet.