Hundreds of jobs at risk
According to a report by Bloomberg, Activision-Blizzard is in the process of dissolving its office in Versailles, France, following what is described by the news outlet as “two years of turbulence.”
Originally operated solely under Blizzard, the Versailles office’s 400-strong staff were hit with hugely controversial layoffs in 2019, as a restructuring of Blizzard by Activision resulted in the loss of around 130 localised jobs. A long and drawn-out severance dispute with the government then left the office’s staff and operations in a degree of limbo. Complicating matters, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic reportedly put an end to Blizzard’s plan to relocate half of the Versailles team to London, and now it seems that the French headquarters may now be closed in its entirety.
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Activision-Blizzard neither confirmed nor denied the report. “In the context of our Versailles office, the management of Blizzard France has informed its employee representatives of a proposed project to reorganize its activitie,” said a spokesperson. “Supporting our employees through this process is our number one priority. We are working through various processes related to this and a CSE meeting is scheduled for October 13th and 14th. Until then, as there is a prescribed legal process, we cannot provide further comment.”
Staff members are expected to receive more concrete information regarding the future next week.
Activision-Blizzard closing France office – Report [GamesIndustry.biz / Bloomberg]
