Leadership at Don’t Nod are "creating an atmosphere of extreme violence” with planned layoffs, says French game workers union

rockpapershotgun.com:

Leadership at Don’t Nod yesterday “presented a reorganisation project to the employee representative bodies,” via financials report, in response to "a balance sheet that highlights the need to secure the company's resources" following the underperformance of Jusant and Banishers: Ghosts of new Eden.

In plain terms, this means that up to 69 workers at the French company are at risk of layoffs due to an 11% year-on-year decline in operating revenue, via IGN. The number represents "29% of the Paris studio workforce", say the STJV.

"Our half-year results for 2024 reflect the economic underperformance of our latest release, despite solid ratings on Metacritic, as well as the accounting impact of the decisions we had to take," said Don’t Nod’s CEO and Chairman Oskar Guilbert. "The initial performance support measures announced last spring no longer seem sufficient to maintain the company's competitiveness.

"As a result," the statement continued, "today we presented a reorganisation project to the employee representative bodies, which could set DON'T NOD on a new development trajectory. I am fully conscious of the impact this project may have on all our employees. Securing our company's resources and restoring its ability to perform more in an increasingly competitive and selective industry is extremely necessary."

In late September, Don’t Nod announced that they’d paused development on two upcoming projects, and that development on others had been "refocused to reach a wider audience", again citing the underperformance of Jusant and Banishers.

Back in early September, French Video Game Workers Union (STJV) put out a press release titled "DON’T NOD: Ascension or free fall?". "We’re sounding the alarm on the situation of Don’t Nod employees," they wrote, alleging "erratic" and "tumultuous" project management and citing concern over "the psychosocial hazards Don’t Nod’s workers are facing, in view of the significant number of reports of ill-being and sick leaves." The press