Court overturns decision in Ubisoft-THQ labor dispute

u wanna settle it huh... make a crossover fighting game Ubisoft vs THQ.... roflmao

I would work for THQ over UBI any day. Ubi is practically the french EA. (I can say that cuz I AM french) Ubi is full of themselves and one hell of a milk factory. And they preach emotions... And like most, they never practice what they preach... Yes THQ has ruff edges... BUT when THQ publishes or develops a GOOD game it usually trumps anything I've ever seen from UBI... I got a feeling THQ has an AWESOME IP up their sleeves...

THQ needs all the help they can get. They've been (mostly) terrible. Like, FOREVER.

If Ubisoft wants an exclusivity clause for their employees, they need to pay for it. If my own company somehow prevented me from getting another job or a promotion, I'd expect some serious recompense. Happens in Hollywood all the time, these clauses are pricey.

@_Silent_Jay_ Well said...it's dirty to steal employees and it's known that THQ hired them just to make a game or slow the better competition and then they will probably fire them... This is the best tactic to slow the competition enough so you can grow in sales... Assassin's Creed franchise and all other tactical shooters from Ubisoft and other stuff are a lot better that Saints Row 3 and other games that THQ releases... Not saying THQ makes bad games....STALKER it's actually one hell of a good game... Still I prefer Ubisoft...my godfather worked for Ubisoft Romania and Ubisoft Paris XD

Anything that damages Ubisoft in any way is a positive force in my book.

@_Silent_Jay_ According to the article (which might be completely inaccurate for all I know) Desilets non-compete clause only stopped him from releasing a project or recruiting employees. Neither of those are broken by him working for THQ, so long as they don't release something with which he's involved within a year.

Perhaps Ubisoft should offer their employees better contracts before someone else does... instead of complaining about it?

anyone can work anywhere and in any co.who the hell ubi thinks they are

Good. I love THQ, and hate Ubish**. :D

It's always low to poach another company's employees, but non-compete contracts are retarded too, so it's hard to feel sympathy for anyone.

@Archontic And you know this for a fact? ;) @article It's good this was overturned, as much as this type of mentality will lead to the employment equivilant of blackmail. With companies constantly having to offer more and more to keep their employees, driving devs costs up, and likely the length of games down. I would have to imagine that they are leaving for more than money, but who knows. Oh how the face of the gaming industry has changed since I was 6, 24 years ago XD

It seems like all companies have that apple state of mind now. Let's not dare look at what we are doing wrong let's just sue. They should be looking at why so many people are willing to jump ship and not trying to stop THQ and last time i checked Ubisoft was a much bigger force in the gaming industry. So they should be able to offer incentives to people that THQ can't. That's business basics right there but obviously they know that and just arent willing to do what it takes to keep their talent.

It's not like THQ was climbing through windows at night and kidnapping Ubisoft developers.

That's what happens when you cross the 3rd Street Saints!

Patrice deselits. Expecting woman with glasses and average looks. Gets a guy with a neckbeard and sweatshirt a size too small. I am disappoint.

Too bad Ubisoft, if you were a better stuido to work at than THQ, people wouldn't be so inclinded to quit. Besides, in the cut throat world of game development, a studio is just as likely to lay you off after the release of a game as they are to give you a bonus. Workers have to look out for themselves.

jesus gaming is getting cut throat...

@airshocker If you sign a contract with a no-compete clause, you shouldn't be able to just ignore it, either. They're part and parcel with working in software development, and it shows a lack of professional integrity to break one. Desilets signed a contract that said he would not work for a competitor for a year after he left the company. He left the company, citing burnout, then turned around for a position at THQ while still under that contract. Ubisoft were totally in their rights to seek an injunction, and I'm kind of surprised that the court overturned it.

Well that sucks.

@ Infinity_Gauntl Activision doesn't have a Montreal studio. But if I'm not mistaken, there is already a no poaching agreement between EA Montreal and Ubisoft Montreal.

Watch Activision and EA will start taking all the talent like a vacume.

The injunction should have never happened. If a company is able to take people from you, it's because your company isn't treating them well enough.

Assassin Creed franchise is milked soo badly.. Take everything u want.. then go make something new.

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Watch out THQ there will be a swarm of Assassin's all over your place pretty soon...