In a new official update, developer Don’t Nod announced that Deputy GM Benoît Gisbert Mora is leaving their position.
Don’t Nod’s update explains that Mora is exiting “in order to devote to new professional projects”. Mora did not confirm what future projects they are pursuing.
Chairman and CEO Oskar Guilbert adds that he has “total confidence in his Management Committee to carry out the Group’s exciting projects in 2024 and beyond”.
This implies that the leadership shakeup should not delay future projects at Don’t Nod. Most recently, Don’t Nod released Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden last month to solid reviews.
Guilbert and Mora both issued amiable statements for the official announcement. Mora expressed gratitude, and Guilbert said that “we understand and respect his choice”.
However, Mora’s departure does follow recent reports from February, alleging that Don’t Nod was suffering critical issues.
The French union STJV, which planned a Ubisoft strike in France last month, broke down various troubles at Don’t Nod.
This allegedly included sudden, changing deadlines, sporadic employee movement, contradictory directions and more. Don’t Nod did not reply to this report to address the claims.
It’s unclear if Mora’s departure is related to such ongoing issues, in hopes of shaking things up, but that is only speculation. Mora called their time at Don’t Nod “a strong professional experience and a extraordinary human adventure”.
Don’t Nod did not confirm a replacement for its Deputy GM. But the studio did say it is “studying the opportunity to strengthen its Management Committee”.
Reports of toxic work environments have recently surfaced for a range of studios, including PlayStation studio Firesprite. Employees there accused two senior leaders of toxic behavior such as sexual discrimination and ageism.
For more of the latest Insider Gaming news, you can read about gameplay footage of Timesplitters 2 surfacing online thanks to a former developer.
