Ubisoft Canada has announced that it will increase the salaries of its studio staff: but is this really a response to “increasing competition in the region”?

The reality may be that Ubisoft Canada is trying to retain their more experienced developers, more of whom are planning to leave the company. According to our sources, this is suggested because it is the highest-paid employees who could get the most significant raises.

The pay rises are expected to take effect immediately, with the first payment due at the end of November. As Kotaku reports, employees will also claim more annual leave and receive better pay during maternity leave.

The exact amount of the raises will vary depending on the employee’s position in the company. According to the employee group ABetterUbisoft, junior employees will receive a 5-7% raise, while senior employees could increase their pay by up to 20%. However, this move seems likely to exacerbate the inequality that has existed in the company for years.

ABetterUbisoft believes that this does nothing to address their key demands. In a statement, the group said:

“These moves do absolutely nothing to address the key demands of A Better Ubisoft. In addition, by weighting the pay rises enormously in favor of senior staff, management are exacerbating the gap between the highly and low paid workers.”

Ubisoft responded to Kotaku’s article in the following statement:

“Ubisoft has always been a leader in Canada and is proud to have been at the genesis of this industry with six studios, starting first in Quebec and then expanding to Ontario, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. This is the first of a number of initiatives we are announcing to provide a competitive employer offer and as part of our broader ongoing changes.”

“These changes, including more time off, a hybrid, flexible work model, enhanced parental leave, and the right to disconnect, reinforce our commitment to our employees and their mental and physical health. We believe that creating a culture that encourages openness, innovation and creativity starts by offering employees a more balanced approach to their personal and professional lives.”

According to sources at Kotaku, Ubisoft has seen a steady stream of talented and experienced developers leave the company in recent years. In addition to the allegations that surfaced in 2020, these departures could also be part of a general wave of layoffs in the global pandemic. The talent competition is becoming increasingly fierce between companies like Google, Facebook, Riot Games and Tencent.

Source: Kotaku