French game developer Ubisoft has revealed plans to help its Ukrainian staff amidst the Russian invasion of the east-European country.
Heavy fighting continues across Ukraine after Russia’s invasion shook the world the day before yesterday. As large swathes of the international community stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, currently caught in the crossfire of this devastating conflict, many have adopted various initiatives to pledge support for the civilians.
The latest company to take up the call is Ubisoft, providing its staff in Ukraine with much-needed safe housing in other countries, additional funds, and advance payments to help them find safety. Ubisoft houses two studios in Ukraine, one in the capital city of Kyiv, and the other in Odessa, and both cities have been subject to the Russian Armed Forces’ bombardments.
In a statement released to The Loadout, Ubisoft said:
“Across Ubisoft, our hearts are with our teams in Ukraine, and we are providing them support and assistance as they navigate this difficult time. The safety and well-being 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 neighboring 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.”
The company’s main Twitter account has also revealed these intentions via a heartfelt message:
While various gaming communities have condemned Russia’s acts of aggression since the news broke out, many Ukrainian game designers and users are actively asking people to support their armed forces.
Where this develops from here on out is anyone’s guess, but we hope that everyone and their loved ones are as safe as they can be in this period of turmoil.