“If Quantic Dream wants to destroy jobs, it must pay”: French union call strike as they demand extension to layoff negotiations with Star Wars Eclipse studio
The French video games union STJV has called an open-ended strike at Quantic Dream, the Paris studio developing Star Wars Eclipse, escalating a dispute over layoff negotiations following the cancellation of its MOBA project Spellcasters Chronicles. The union says roughly 115 workers are affected and is demanding an extension to the negotiation period, accusing management of stalling and negotiating in bad faith. The row matters because it threatens further disruption at a studio already facing reports that Star Wars Eclipse could become undeliverable if the planned cuts go ahead.
In a blog post published on 4 August, the STJV accused Quantic Dream of imposing "illegal deadlines", wasting six of the twelve negotiating weeks on procedural wrangling, and refusing to share necessary documents. The union said its representatives' proposals were largely ignored across four meetings, and singled out CEO Guillaume de Fondaumière for not engaging with worker demands. The strike began on 5 August, with the union also pointing to a national French games industry strike it organised in June over the same issue; Quantic Dream had previously told IGN that development of Star Wars Eclipse was continuing "as planned" despite the layoffs.
In short
- STJV union calls open-ended strike at Quantic Dream over layoffs
- About 115 workers affected by planned job cuts
- Union demands longer negotiations; strike started 5 August
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The union represents legitimate worker interests in ensuring that layoff negotiations are conducted transparently and in good faith. Their concern that management spent most of the statutory consultation period on procedural matters, failed to share necessary documents, and largely ignored worker proposals suggests the negotiation process was not genuinely meaningful. Workers facing job loss deserve proper consultation under French law, and extending negotiations allows time for discussing alternatives to mass redundancies and fair severance arrangements.
The case against
When a major project is cancelled, the resulting layoffs often represent an unavoidable business reality rather than a matter for indefinite negotiation. Management may reasonably argue that prolonged uncertainty damages company finances and remaining employees' security, and that restructuring requires timely decisions to preserve viability and the future of ongoing projects like Star Wars Eclipse. Extended negotiations serve neither side well if the business fundamentals have genuinely changed.
Explained simply
Quantic Dream is a Paris-based video game studio making Star Wars Eclipse, a game set in the Star Wars universe. It also developed Spellcasters Chronicles, a multiplayer game that has been cancelled.
The dispute concerns planned job cuts affecting about 115 workers. French employment rules provide for negotiations between a company and worker representatives when large-scale redundancies are proposed; the French video games union STJV represents staff in the talks.
The outcome could affect both the workers’ jobs and the studio’s ability to make its planned games. Star Wars Eclipse is a high-profile project, but its progress depends on how the studio is staffed and organised.
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