Ubisoft Montpellier Managing Director Reportedly Leaves the Studio

Managing director Guillaume Carmona has reportedly left Ubisoft Montpellier, the studio best known for developing the Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil series.

As reported by Kotaku, which cites sources familiar with the situation, last week, the studio's staff were informed that Carmona, who had not been present at the studio since the beginning of the year, would not be returning to Ubisoft Montpellier and had departed from the studio.

Neither Ubisoft nor Carmona agreed to comment on the matter. Sources also haven't provided a reason for Carmona's departure citing legal confidentiality. 

Carmona had been with Ubisoft for nearly two decades, starting his career at the company in marketing back in 2005 and later serving as a brand manager, marketing director, brand director, and more. In 2019, he left Ubisoft's Paris office to become the head of Ubisoft Montpellier.

Carmona's departure reportedly comes amidst a labor investigation by local government authorities caused by an unprecedented number of developers experiencing burnout and taking sick leave.

Sources claim that many leads and dozens of developers at Montpellier went on extended leave due to stress or illness during the past year. Some of them returned, while others left the studio entirely, which ultimately led to a visit from the French labor inspection office in December. 

According to Kotaku, as a result, a third-party organization has now been tasked with interviewing Montpellier's employees and compiling a comprehensive report on their health and well-being. A representative of the labor inspection office refused to comment on the matter, citing confidentiality.

In a statement to the outlet, a Ubisoft spokesperson commented that the health and wellness of the company's employees remain Ubisoft's "ongoing priority." 

"Given the length of the development cycle with Beyond Good & Evil 2, the Montpellier development team is undergoing well-being assessments through a third-party for preventative measures and to evaluate where additional support may be needed," they said.

You can learn more by reading Kotaku's report here. Also, don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform, our Reddit page, and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.