A union alleges that Nacon's move to close Spiders was a "premeditated and deliberate choice"

The French union, Le Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV), has strongly criticized Nacon's move to shut down Spiders, labeling it as a planned and intentional act. STJV has urged a boycott of the company in response to this development.

Earlier this year in March, Nacon undertook a court-regulated reorganization aimed at managing its debts. Following this, four of its subsidiaries, including Spiders, Kylotonn, Cyanice, and Nacon Tech, sought insolvency protection.

The union stated that the recent closure decision impacted 71 employees. It attributed the liquidation to Spiders' insufficient profits and lack of acquisition proposals. STJV reiterated its view that Nacon's closure decision was an intentional and strategic move.

The gaming site GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Nacon for comments concerning the assertions made by the union.

Nacon, previously known as Bigben Interactive, took over Spiders in 2019. STJV has claimed that Spiders encountered financial manipulations post-acquisition, cornered by Nacon, which acted as its owner, president, and sole client. Allegedly, Spiders did not receive royalties after GreedFall, with all resources being under Nacon's control.

The union accused Nacon of abruptly halting the development of project Dark without adequate reasons, leaving Spiders without ongoing contracts after GreedFall 2's release. STJV argued that Nacon obstructed new contracts for Spiders with other partners and alleged mismanagement by both Spiders and Nacon.

Throughout the ordeal, worker representatives flagged numerous concerns about the company's direction and management, delivering several critical evaluations during mandatory consultations with higher-ups.

In August 2024, employees at Spiders organized a strike, highlighting mismanagement issues in an open letter. The studio's management described these claims as "false and defamatory."

The employees called for more transparency, a clearer organizational structure, strengthened remote work policies, and better working conditions. Following the strike, Spiders' leadership promised an audit of the workplace, along with salary hikes and assurances for remote working options.