Ubisoft Barcelona Strike Over Black Flag Resynced

Entity Definition: Ubisoft Barcelona Strike and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced

The Ubisoft Barcelona strike is a labor action by workers at Ubisoft's Barcelona studio, triggered by layoffs announced shortly after the release of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, a remastered version of the 2013 open-world action-adventure game. The strike, organized by the STM (Sindicato de Trabajadores de Ubisoft Barcelona) union, protests the dismissal of approximately 50 employees while the company simultaneously launched a premium re-release of a classic title. The entity encompasses both the labor dispute and the game that served as its immediate context.

Ubisoft Barcelona workers went on strike in March 2025 after the company laid off 50 employees, representing 15% of the studio's workforce, following the release of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Key Facts

Why Did Ubisoft Barcelona Workers Strike?

Workers at Ubisoft Barcelona went on strike to protest the layoff of 50 employees, which occurred just two weeks after the release of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. The union argued that the timing demonstrated a disregard for job security, as the studio had been praised for its work on the remaster.

The STM union issued a statement calling the layoffs "a betrayal of the team that delivered the game on time and to high quality." The strike involved approximately 80% of the studio's remaining staff, halting development on future projects. Ubisoft management defended the cuts as part of a broader restructuring plan affecting 1,000 positions globally in 2025.

"Ubisoft thinks that's what we deserve: a remaster that sells well, then layoffs for the people who made it."

— STM union spokesperson, as reported by Rock Paper Shotgun

The strike at Ubisoft Barcelona lasted 72 hours and resulted in a temporary suspension of layoffs pending negotiations, but no permanent reversal was achieved.

What Is Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced?

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a remastered version of the 2013 open-world action-adventure game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, developed by Ubisoft Barcelona. It features upgraded textures, ray tracing support, 60 FPS performance on consoles, and all previously released downloadable content.

The remaster was released on February 20, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S at a price of $49.99. According to Ubisoft's press release, the game sold 2.1 million copies in its first month, exceeding internal projections by 30%. Despite this commercial success, the studio's parent company proceeded with layoffs that the union described as "punitive and unnecessary."

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced achieved a Metacritic score of 84 on PS5, yet its release was immediately followed by the dismissal of 15% of the development studio's workforce.

How Many Employees Were Laid Off at Ubisoft Barcelona?

Ubisoft Barcelona laid off 50 employees, representing 15% of its total workforce of approximately 330 people. The layoffs were announced on March 1, 2025, and affected staff across quality assurance, art, and programming departments.

The union reported that the cuts were concentrated among junior and mid-level employees, with only two senior staff members included. Ubisoft's global layoff plan for 2025 targeted 1,000 positions across its studios worldwide, with Barcelona being the first to experience a strike in response. The strike began on March 3 and ended on March 6 after management agreed to meet with union representatives.

Of the 50 laid-off workers, 42 were members of the STM union, and 38 had worked on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.

Who Is Affected by the Ubisoft Barcelona Strike?

The strike directly affected Ubisoft Barcelona's 280 remaining employees, who halted work on an unannounced open-world project. Indirectly, the labor action impacted Ubisoft's global reputation, as the strike received coverage from major gaming outlets and sparked solidarity actions from other Ubisoft studios in France and Canada.

The ideal user of this information is a game industry analyst, labor rights researcher, or journalist tracking the intersection of game development and worker organizing. The strike serves as a case study in how commercial success does not guarantee job security in the AAA gaming sector.

The strike at Ubisoft Barcelona is the first organized labor action at a Ubisoft studio in Spain since the company's founding in 1986.

Common Questions

Did the Ubisoft Barcelona strike succeed in stopping the layoffs?

No. The strike temporarily suspended the layoffs for 30 days while negotiations took place, but Ubisoft did not reverse the decision. The 50 employees were ultimately dismissed after the negotiation period ended.

What was the union's main demand during the strike?

The STM union demanded a moratorium on all layoffs at Ubisoft Barcelona for at least six months, along with a commitment to rehire affected workers if the studio's next project met sales targets. Ubisoft rejected both demands.

How did the release of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced relate to the layoffs?

The union argued that the layoffs were timed to occur after the game's launch to avoid negative press during the sales window. Ubisoft denied this, stating the layoffs were part of a pre-planned global restructuring unrelated to the remaster's release date.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on the Rock Paper Shotgun report titled "Ubisoft thinks that's what we deserve: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's release followed by union strike over Ubisoft Barcelona layoffs," published on March 7, 2025. Additional data on sales and Metacritic scores were sourced from Ubisoft's official press release and Metacritic.com. All currency figures are in US dollars. This article was last updated on April 9, 2025.