Around a hundred employees on strike at French video game studio Don’t Nod

“Between 90 and 100 people” have been on strike since Monday January 13 in the French video game studio Don’t Nod to protest against a layoff plan which would see the departure of 69 employees, announced a member of the Union of Video Game Workers (STJV), Tuesday. “The negotiations between the STJV and the management of Don’t Nod” did not result in “no serious commitment for employees”denounced the STJV in an appeal published Sunday on its site, where it accuses the management of “save time”.

Contacted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), Don’t Nod assured that “proposals, including financial aspects, were presented with the aim of encouraging voluntary departures and reaching a balanced agreement”. “We remain committed to finding solutions that meet the needs of all parties to ensure the sustainability of the company”added the French studio.

The latter, publisher of the games Life is Strange, Jusant et Banishersis going through a bad financial patch.

“Management holds all the cards”

The company announced in October that it was considering letting go of 69 employees as part of a reorganization project, out of the approximately 250 in its French studio, which had provoked several strikes.

Developed by its Canadian studio, its next game, Lost Records : Bloom & Rageis expected for February 18 (and a second part, for March 18).

“The strike may have an impact on the development of Lost Records »recognized a member of the STJV, who wished to remain anonymous. “It is only the employees of Don’t Nod Paris who are on strike, but around thirty people work on Lost Records from Paris, which is not negligible »he said. “The impact on productions in progress in the studio is now the responsibility of management, which has all the cards in hand to end the strike”he added.