Ubisoft has dozens of studios all over the world, including two offices in Ukraine. Today, the French publisher has shared an update on how it’s been supporting the developers in those offices following Russia’s ongoing invasion of the country. As employees seek shelter, Ubisoft is paying salaries in advance, providing additional money to cover “exceptional costs”, and setting up alternate housing in nearby countries.
“As events escalated in mid-February, Ubisoft recommended all teams take shelter in a place they considered safe,” the company says in a blog post. “To support them as they made these difficult decisions, each team member was provided additional funds to help cover exceptional costs and paid their salary in advance to account for any potential disruption to banking systems.”
Ubisoft adds that “we have set up alternative housing in neighbouring countries where our colleagues and their families can take shelter if they wish and are able to do so.” Additionally, the company has donated €200,000 to relief efforts spread across Save the Children and the Ukrainian Red Cross.
Ubisoft Kyiv opened in 2008, and has predominantly worked on the company’s PC ports in the past, though these days it also serves as a support studio for many of Ubisoft’s biggest blockbusters. Ubisoft Odesa opened in 2018, and has supported work on Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Trials Rising, Immortals Fenyx Rising, Riders Republic, Hyperscape, and Far Cry 6.
The publisher also happens to own an office in Moscow. Ubisoft Russia opened in 2014, though the company does not provide any information on the studio in its most recent press kit, published last year.