Following yesterday’s invasion of Ukraine by Russia, many gaming studios and companies within the eastern European country have begun to speak out and provide updates on what the near future holds for them. One major game developer with a presence in Ukraine is Ubisoft, which has studios based in the capital city of Kyiv and the coastal port city of Odesa.
In a previous statement provided to Eurogamer, Ubisoft claims it is “monitoring the situation closely and [has] already implemented several measures to help keep our teams in Ukraine safe”, however it did not go into specific details. A further statement posted on Ubisoft’s Twitter says that the developer is also providing “financial support” to its employees. However, in the last hour, The Loadout has learned Ubisoft staff in Ukraine have not only been paid their wages in advance, but have been provided alternative accomodation in neighbouring countries for staff and their families.
“Across Ubisoft, our hearts are with our teams in Ukraine, and we are providing them support and assistance as they navigate this difficult time,” Ubisoft tells The Loadout. “The safety and wellbeing of our teams and their families is our primary concern, and Ubisoft is fully mobilized to support them moving forward.
“Over the past few months, Ubisoft has been closely monitoring the situation and has put in place measures to help protect our teams. Last week, we recommended our employees take shelter in a place they consider safe. Ubisoft has provided all team members in Ukraine with additional funds to help them cover exceptional costs, such as those related to their travel and relocation, and has paid salaries in advance to account for any potential disruption to banking systems.
“Ubisoft is providing housing in neighbouring countries where teams and their families can take shelter if they wish and are able to do so. To ensure we stay closely connected with all teams, we have set up hotlines to respond to their questions and needs and have put in place an emergency communication system should infrastructures grow unstable. We will continue to adapt and reinforce our assistance as the situation evolves.”
With attacks reported in both Kyiv and Odesa, both cities are becoming increasingly dangerous places to remain in, and Ubisoft is clearly taking the safety of its Ukrainian employees extremely seriously.