Employees of Spiders are set to go on strike, following an open letter that criticizes the company's management practices

Initial report, August 27, 2025: Employees at the French company Spiders have set a strike date for the week beginning on September 2. The decision by representatives of the workforce was announced through an open letter published with the union STJV, detailing long-standing challenges at the studio, owned by Nacon.

As of August 27, 44 employees from Spiders' 95-member staff had endorsed the letter from the Spiders Action Committee. The protest is scheduled for September 2 and 3, taking place both at the studio's premises and online via a dedicated Minecraft server.

This action follows an unsuccessful meeting attempt with company leadership on August 23. Anne Devouassoux serves as CEO of Spiders. Another strike over remote work-related issues was held in January, but management reportedly failed to address the workers' prior open communication.

"Negotiations on pay have since been initiated, yet conditions at the studio have worsened," according to their statement. "We reluctantly speak out publicly now, hopeful this will finally prompt management to act in the best interest of both employees and the company."

Workers cite problems such as insufficient pay, mismanagement, lack of openness, frequent staff changes, gender imbalance and pay inequity, and non-recognition of collective efforts. The letter stresses Spiders' rapid growth and insufficient structural measures to manage such changes efficiently.

"In 2020, Spiders had only 40 employees and worked on one game at a time. Today, the workforce has more than doubled. Concerns remain regarding the introduction of a second production line and early access for Greedfall 2, decisions made without discussion, increasing overall anxiety.

"The company's structure has barely evolved in recent years, except for a minor expansion in management roles and a tightened hierarchy."

The development of Greedfall 2 is reported to be significantly behind schedule, with staff experiencing high levels of burnout.

The employees are requesting clear communication and representation, organizational restructuring via collective dialogue, remote working assurances, anti-discrimination measures, correction of the gender wage gap, improved compensation, among other demands.

The letter concludes: "The current corporate strategy seems to us illogical and without clear reasoning. We hope our determination will lead to a coherent strategic direction."

Follow-up, August 29, 2025: Spiders issued a statement regarding the strike, challenging the union's claims as "false and defamatory." Management plans to meet with representatives before the week concludes, the statement adds. Below is the full response.

"The Union of Video Game Workers (STJV) has echoed allegations about the work environment at Spiders. These baseless and libelous statements do not reflect our daily work reality and harm the studio's reputation, as our team remains dedicated to delivering quality games and the Early Access launch of Greedfall 2.

"Spiders' management supports a collaborative and constructive dialogue. Despite recent failed attempts to engage with employee delegates, a meeting has been proposed again by the week's end.

"Our employees are central to our operation, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive, dynamic workplace where talent can thrive, which we can all take pride in."

Greedfall 2 is slated for Early Access release by late September.