This Is Not a Review of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

[@ArloStuff]

I'm really proud of this video. We haven't done many like it in a while, and Kane really knocked it out of the park in the editing department. I've spent quite a long time trying to decide how to handle Sparks of Hope. The idea for this video has been cooking ever since the announcement, and ultimately I felt it was the right path to take. As I say in the video, I don't hold a grudge against anyone who plays or reviews the game. But in the end I'm glad that I ultimately did what felt right to me (even if it means Ubisoft will DEFINITELY never work with me again LOL).

[@Anothergingerguyontheinternet]

Well I doubt you'd want to work with and promote Ubisoft if they are still continuing this terrible way of treating their workers. I hope this video gains some traction and gets peoples attention.

[@31altair]

Atta boy

[@RelaxAlexX]

Nintendo workplace also horrible. Stop supporting Nintendo Arlo.

[@Danominator]

You should be proud of contributing to a solution. Well done!

[@LinkNBricks]

I will let you know Arlo that I used to work at Intel and I could tell you right now that no matter how bad activation is and obisoft is Intel is far worse. I got blacklisted at Intel and not allowed to work at Intel ever because I was part of a group of women calling out the sexes managers staring at their privates. All the girls and me are blacklisted and are not allowed to work at Intel. So I'm letting you know that this bad behavior is not exclusive to video game developers sadly...

[@NotAnEldritchHorror]

the workplace abuse at Ubisoft was just starting to be unravelled when the whole Activision/Blizzard scandal hit, and that absolutely steam rolled it from being seen in the public eye. we at least spoke about the horrors of ActiBliz, and that alone is by no means enough, but Ubisoft also needs to be held to the flame, and I'm glad someone is finally talking about it. Thanks for having integrity Arlo.

[@TakumiJoyconBoyz]

Worse. It was actively covered up by the gaming press because E3 was just around the corner and they didn't want to lose out on all those hype clicks.

[@simonw.1223]

Well I watched the german KZbinr eho did a video which is the worst game company. The answer is all. While nintendo is the only company where the work place seem to be good... but the netcode and milking fans with online etc

[@Masaim6]

It actually was starting to unravel some time before the acti-bliz thing.

[@jeveritt8398]

It was publically known about for a year before in like July 2020. It just didn't get much press coverage because there weren't any lawsuits

[@DragonNexus]

I think with Ubisofts reshuffle and "firing" of certain people, gamers assumed it was over. Everything's fixed now. Back to normal. But...Ubisoft barely did anything except stall the news until people stopped talking about it.

[@DoctorMinjinx]

The fact that Arlo can tackle a topic like this with tact and maturity, while still being a fuzzy blue monster guy, is impressive.

[@king_big_pp]

Most underrated youtuber for sure

[@rhyspieces5718]

Y’know, I take him seriously right now, but dude looks like Cookie Monster, just without cookies. Making him a monster.

[@JesusLovesAll]

Yes, but he should have still reviewed the game. And whatever is happening with the company doesn't change the fact that it's an amazing game and that many innocent people worked on it.

[@slundo6325]

Props to Kane for making that fire have a reflection in the water. It really sells the complete destruction of opportunities as even the "water under the bridge" is on fire.

[@Devon.with.an.i]

I think you might be looking a little too deep into things 💀

[@chisecrecy4974]

@@Devon.with.an.i English teacher moment, still I like their interpretation though

[@charismaentertainer1657]

Uh… a bit too deep of a dive, but a nice interpretation all the same

[@EmeralBookwise]

Whether the interpretation is intentional or not, the extra effort it took to render the reflection is still absolutely commendable.

[@stacy__fakename]

The author is dead, this interpretation is valid and I think you're cool for finding it

[@sampancisco4931]

Mad respect for you Arlo. We need more wholesome monsters like you in this world.

[@sebastianbarron5063]

Mad respect to arlo for denying a paid sponsorship simply because it was wrong, we need more creators like you.

[@FantasmaNaranja]

and i'll tell you about more content creators like him after THIS *RAID SHADOW LEGENDS SPONSORSHIP!*

[@jackflynn412]

The only moral KZbinr ever. What a good guy.

[@007supanova]

@@jackflynn412 Yeah no. He knew about this for years and said nothing until he could financially gain from it, with a drama video like this.

[@jackflynn412]

@@007supanova If he said it while it was going on nobody would've noticed. We may not know his motivations. Maybe he is capitalizing on it as drama. But it still is good to spread awareness about the Ubisoft abuse.

[@rainbowsubs2]

Are you kidding me? He gets sponsored by raycons the trashiest earphones 💀

[@GuiltyOne438]

There's a saying in the corporate world: HR's job isn't to help employees; it's to keep the company looking good. So yeah, the reason why that entire department to "make sure employees are treated fairly" doesn't do that is probably because its actual job is to make sure that the company looks like it treats its employees fairly, such as giving the appearance that problems don't exist.

[@pugetsoundwaves]

There are plenty of companies where that is 100% true, but there are also plenty of really great HR managers that truly care. I work in HR for a Fortune 100 company and I am fully empowered to take care of and advocate for my employees, which I do on a daily basis.

[@Fantallana]

@@pugetsoundwaves please do your best, I’m sure it’s hard work but we need good ones out there ❤

[@ExploreImagineDefineCreate]

@@pugetsoundwaves ❤

[@Jordan64852]

Honestly being HR is supposed to be the middle man between employees and higher ups but when are you going to side with the employees when only one side are signing your checks :/

[@thetrophysystem3697]

I mean, I work in HR and I can assure you my no.1 priority is always the health and wellbeing of the employees that need supoort or guidance and I couldnt give 2 shts about the companies profits or optics

[@thespeedyyoshi]

It's sort of incredible to see Arlo, someone who obviously makes his content very kid friendly and approachable for all audiences, talk about such serious topics with such potency yet clarity. I really think Arlo is an absolute phenomenal writer, and he knows how to gets points across EXTREMELY well.

[@TheShuuman]

*glances back at the Sonic 2 review* Most of the time.

[@thespeedyyoshi]

@@TheShuuman emphasis on writer hehehe. Non scripted content doesn’t count, that’s just entertainment

[@TheShuuman]

@@thespeedyyoshi If that trainwreck of a "review" was supposed to be unscripted than that honestly makes him look worse in my eyes let alone trying to pass it off as entertainment. I like Arlo well enough, but bad is just bad.

[@EmeralBookwise]

@@TheShuuman: reviews are subjective and opinionated, always have been and always will be. I personally enjoyed Sonic 2, thought it was a huge step up from the first movie, but I still appreciated Arlo's more negative take. It can be good to expose ourselves to divergent perspectives.

[@maggiecelentano9927]

@@TheShuuman we found the sonic fapper

[@railroader2431]

It really is a shame that such a great game had to be attached to such a lousy company. I genuinely want this game and series to succeed, because it really is a labor of love. Regardless, good on you for sticking to your morals.

[@dr6559]

It probably will regardless. I’ll buy it later on but I’ll get it used as I will do anything I can to not give Ubisoft money. It’s easy as this is honestly the only Ubisoft game I’ve given a shit about since Kingdom Battle honestly but still.

[@DuckyShrunks]

@@dr6559 and a dev team who, as far as I know, are straying away from the corrupted bs happening rn. Ubisoft Milan are the only good branch from Ubisoft.

[@adam145]

Just don't buy other Ubisoft games. Execs are only worried about getting profits and bonuses from whatever they're attached to.

[@Aeluron]

It will hurt the devs far more then the executives. So boycotting them won't help.

[@GavinsBazaar313]

@@Aeluron Yeah, me and some friends were having a similar discussion. I do not remember it all but one thing I remember is that my friends realised that boycotting does not help, and it does not work the way people think it does.

[@Technonova323]

Glad you covered this topic. I'm one of the many people who wasn't aware of this situation, and it's sad to know that Ubisoft mostly got away with this back then. It's really unfortunate, too, how this unique opportunity of giving the Mario IP to another company is tainted by all this garbage. I guess this gives more reason to check out indies over standard triple A titles.

[@psychokinrazalon]

Return of the Obra Dinn, Forgotton Anne, and Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights are the latest indie games I’ve bought that I’d recommend.

[@DragonNexus]

They're still getting away with it.

[@pobbityboppity1110]

Yup, outside of a few exceptions indies will get the money from the sales directly. You are actually benefitting the developers.

[@leon4000]

Don't forget Star Fox. Nintendo also gave Ubisoft a chance with Star Link with Star Fox being in that game. And anyone who isn't a fan of toys-to-life games, knows how that all turned out.

[@Victini7472]

HOLLOW KNIGHT, ORI, UNDERTALE, DELTARUNE, OMORI, NIGHT IN THE WOODS, CELESTE, THE DADISH TRILOGY, JSAB, MAD RAT DEAD im just lookin through my switch library for indes to list lol

[@T-Dawg75]

I’m glad Arlo chose to do what he felt was right instead of what he wanted, this is something everyone needs to hear

[@Novarcharesk]

'Feeling' that something is right is irrelevant.

[@T-Dawg75]

@@Novarcharesk can you elaborate?

[@KoalaTContent]

Some things to consider: If this game fails due to a boycott or whatever, Ubisoft will not attribute that to their abuse. They will just see this specific creative team is less profitable and view this team or these kinds of projects with less favor. It's still valid to never want to give them money, just understand that it will not even touch their opinions on abuse, while affecting this team or style of project

[@epicgamner1139]

thats what really sucks about this. no matter what, ubisoft wins and the passionate devs lose. im still on the fence because i feel this way and arlo's way both pretty strongly.

[@Smeik2901]

@@epicgamner1139 Not buying the game means the higher ups win less though. Of course just boykotting this one game doesn't do the trick. Don't ever spend money on Ubisoft products any more and maaaaaaaaaybe something will change. Probably not, unless some major lawsuit is filed against them like with Activision, but at the very least Yves won't get as high of a bonus.

[@epicgamner1139]

@@Smeik2901 luckily im not exactly a ubisoft fan so this would be only my second purchase from that (the first being mario+rabbids 1)

[@Smeik2901]

@@epicgamner1139 That's great. If just everyone would know this and act accordingly...

[@labetenoire]

If it happens to one game, then yes they might be able to brush it off and blame that one dev team. But if it happens to all their games, when market research insists that those games should do well, and the rest of the industry is doing as well as was expected, then they might see it as "Okay, this is an issue with how people see us and it's not going to get better until we address it" The problem with supporting any one product of theirs is that if people feel they can support one of their products because it's their favorite, then all their games will get some level of support. You might say "Well I really wanna play Mario+Rabbids, but nothing else" while another fans says "I'll buy Rayman but that's it" and yet another "I have to buy Assassins' Creed but boycott all the rest" Then each game still get's sales and those sales will be close to what they would have been without the boycott since most of those people weren't going to buy all the games to begin with. If any one person doesn't want to participate in a boycott, that is fine. It's their decision. But to say that a boycott won't have any affect so you might as well give the company what they want anyway is the exact sentiment that allows such predatory behavior to continue.

[@BearlyAdrift]

It's always wonderful to see people - especially those with a platform - supporting those who reported the abuse. Speaking up leaves people in a very lonely and hostile place. And as we've seen countless times before, rarely results in any helpful change. Thank you both for adding your voices.

[@buttercupkat]

An important note to remember: HR is not for the employees, but for the company's reputation. Sure, in theory it's meant to stop corrupt work environments, but in practice it's only there to make the company as a whole look good. In smaller companies you are more likely to be heard out, but in big ones? Never.

[@DanGamingFan2406]

It sucks that this kind of behavior is still allowed to happen. I understand why you'd feel uncomfortable reviewing their products, and I hope the situation with them will change someday.

[@snapdragoon1236]

I’m glad this stuff gets talked about. I feel like In modern internet we see so much horrible shit constantly that we’re not only desensitized but a lot of times nothing gets done about major problems bc another big problem overshadows it next week sometimes the same week. It’s sad how much needs done but how little actually changes

[@DavidMarronMusic]

Well said Arlo. Glad to see someone addressing this issues and letting people know what’s going on with these companies.

[@doodle-oh]

good on you for sticking to your morals and maintaining integrity even with a game like this that you're clearly extremely excited to have exist. It's extremely respectful, especially when sponsorship opportunities of your own are on the line. Keep being awesome Arlo :D

[@amateraceon5202]

I thought this was like one of those “This is not One-Winged Angel Rebirth” videos to hide the video from some kind of copyright, but this is definitely much more important than that, and I respect this immensely

[@markurrito]

Thank you Arlo for making this video, because I had no idea this was even happening. The fact that you're bringing these issues to light at the cost of cutting ties with Ubisoft shows how much you care about doing the right thing, we need more people like you in the world.

[@dachking6657]

That background made me laugh quite a lot. Glad that you’re willing to literally burn ‘dem bridges for the sake of morals.

[@mrshmuga9]

This video is a week after the game release, and the only other Ubisoft game (aside from M+R) that he covered was Starlink. It’s not much of a bridge to burn and if he was trying to get people to boycott, it’s too late. Games make their most sales in the first two weeks of release and that’s half over. Not that it’ll actually change anything. A company will only make that kind of change if employees revolt or file a lawsuit.

[@tdotran]

I loved it where kit & Kysta interviewed Reggie not too long ago on their podcast, and they asked him what he wants to change in the video game industry and he states “change the level of true diversity in the industry.” “You look across the people playing games in this industry, and they come from all walks of life, variety from different experience, YOU DONT SEE THAT IN LEADERSHIP IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY.” I love this guy.

[@lalehiandeity1649]

There’s a difference between playing games and making them, though.

[@supersaiyankirby]

The fact that you're willing to make a stance like this is one of the reasons why you're my favorite reviewer on KZbin. I think you're absolutely making the right choice with this.

[@LazerzZ]

Seeing a large creator talk about this is really nice to see. Myself and my friends have been talking about this since it first came out. It felt like a majority of the industry though seemed to ignore it, some even shutting us down, which was strange when the response to Activision/Blizzard was so strong and positive. Hopefully this can encourage people to continue fighting against Ubisoft and their horrendous misconduct.

[@1BlueYoshi]

Props to you for sticking by your principles Arlo. Honestly I wouldn't even have faulted you for making an exception to buying a Ubisoft game just this once, but it is commendable that you're being resolute with this. This can't have been an easy video to make

[@benmalsky9834]

I hate that he’s encouraging people not to play Sparks of Hope. I’ve played it and it’s a lot of fun.

[@lalehiandeity1649]

@@benmalsky9834 Plenty of other great games out there.

[@benmalsky9834]

@@lalehiandeity1649 But that doesn’t mean people have to skip out on this one.

[@benmalsky9834]

@@lalehiandeity1649 Are you saying that this one needs to be skipped?

[@alxjones]

One minor correction: HR is *not* there to protect employees, they exist to protect the business. Sometimes those interests align, but more often than not, they don't.

[@me-the-c9057]

I really respect you Arlo for the way you address difficult, divisive topics. You are very firm in your moral stances, yet you communicate gently, without virtue signaling or judgement of others - with a smattering of humor to help the medicine go down. I really respect you; thanks for doing videos like this. Cheers!

[@Oo1strawberry1oO]

Thank you Arlo for actively working towards making the gamedev workplaces safer for all of us. Means a lot to hear it from you directed at such a big audience.

[@Ektambo]

I appreciate you so much for making this video, Arlo. There’s so much nastiness in the industry right now that I can’t in good conscience buy new releases from these companies… I’ve been buying pretty much all my games secondhand from indie shops and sellers these days. Thank you for keeping attention on this very important topic and helping hold these companies accountable. 💜

[@TaliesinMyrddin]

This is a really late comment, but I think one of the big reasons Ubisoft got away with what Blizzard didn't is a lot of people - not all, and probably not even a majority - didn't care so much about the abuses as having a reason to keep criticising the company because they were jaded or didn't like the direction games like WoW were taking. It's sad, but it's true. I saw people who were already deep on the Blizzard Sucks At Making Games Now train long before the news broke positively elated that they were "justified" in their hate - their subjective dislike of the games suddenly had real backing, they could point to abuse and discrimination and all this to get more people mad at the company for the exact wrong reasons. A lot of people were rightly critical because of the human side of things, but a lot of people only cared because it made them, in their eyes, "right". Many of that latter group lamented 'modern' Acti-Blizz as the problem and wanted a return to the old glory days of Blizzard Entertainment.. which was when all the abusers were in positions of power, when the culture began, and when many of the issues reported took place. But no, it was 'modern Blizzard bad, old Blizzard good'. They didn't care. That's why I think Ubisoft got by unscathed - it didn't have as many... passionate... people who already hated the company eager to shout from the rooftops at any hint of illegality or abuse.

[@anthonybehan6031]

Really respect you for this Arlo. I wish more content creators and games news sites would take this stance. I haven't bought an EA, Activision or Ubisoft game for years now due to how bad I view those companies.

[@Novarcharesk]

Respect for what? Taking an impotent moral stance that changes nothing? Nothing has changed, and the company is still successful. Try to focus on action, rather than meaningless gesturing.

[@Mayhemz.95]

Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft all have alleged claims on sexuel abuse, doesn't seem to matter what company you support they are all tainted and just want your money, they don't care about you.

[@benmalsky9834]

Can you still love the games themselves?

[@lalehiandeity1649]

@@Novarcharesk This IS action.

[@Casual_PKBeats]

I think you tackled this topic extremely well, and the takeaway point of "you'll do you" in relation to the whole "no ethical consumption under capitalism" premise is exactly what it is. It's a really muddy topic, and trying to force people to take one action or another will never work out, so just having this be an individual choice, and taking the time to explain the information going on so everyone else can make their own choices, is perfect. Personally, I'm sick of Ubisoft and ActiBliz's terrible practices, and have never been TOO attached to their games anyways, so the boycott was an easy practice, but I think we can all also agree that, if Nintendo were caught with the same exact allegations, we'd... have a pretty hard time giving up our Zeldas or our Metroids or what have you. So, ultimately, it's just good to get this kind of information out there and circulating, since Ubisoft's side definitely died down because of ActiBliz's own spotlight, and I think you handled the morals of it great

[@bartzacky9639]

Nintendo has done bad things to this day you know. Fan project takedowns, copyright music, and could sue anyone if you try to profit their property

[@Pants.69]

@@bartzacky9639 I get what you’re saying and I agree But making crummy corporate decisions isn’t on the same level as active workplace abuse. Again, I don’t disagree, but there is an important distinction here

[@mjc0961]

@@bartzacky9639 lol no, Nintendo protecting their copyrights, trademarks, and IP rights is not anywhere remotely close to the same level as Ubisoft and Activision being sexual abuse dungeons.

[@m8xm153n8r]

@@Pants.69except while not to the same extent as activison and Ubisoft Nintendo still has there own sexual harassment problems

[@Pants.69]

@@m8xm153n8r oh dang I didn’t know that

[@allieherba]

Thank you so much for using your platform to speak about these issues! I'm part of the group of people you mentioned that would've asked "why?" if someone commented that they'd be hesitant to support Ubisoft. Considering just how much vitriol I have towards Activision Blizzard for these same issues, it's so important to bring light to other companies who're guilty of the same.

[@TKDBoy1889]

Something everyone should know about ANY business: HR is NOT your friend. HR does not exist to stick up for the worker. HR departments exist solely to protect the interest of the company. If you raise a fuss that could threw a wrench in their cogs, they will find a way to kick you out. It is essentially a branch of the Legal Department, there to keep the COMPANY, not the workers safe from harm. The only, ONLY time HR departments will have your back as a worker is if your interest and the interest of the company happen to be aligned. So if you ever think to yourself "I'll take this to HR!" Only do that if you are at the point where you will just quit your job. Most likely, that will be the result either way.

[@papershadow]

As someone who purchased the game myself, I stand by that decision even in light of this context, for a few reasons therein. First and foremost, Ubisoft Milan is a smaller team that as far as anything I can tell goes, hasn't had any of the ethical issues described for other studios under the Ubisoft banner. The game will probably represent a moderate amount of business for Ubisoft at large, but if there's any product I would be willing to buy into despite this controversy, it's one of the few made by a team not mired in such. It would help show that they can have talented creators without keeping the toxic presences around, or at least remove that as an excuse or deflection. Second to that is that I value the success of this game as a project too much to not put my money (and thus consumer say) behind it. I feel if we want to see more creative or out there games from Mario, if not Nintendo in general, the best way to make that happen is for those to sell well on top of being reviewed well, as Nintendo has let series that fall short of either fall off or stagnate. And as a small third point, I hardly bought Ubisoft products in general, so I don't exactly make habitual payment or consumption to them, and in this case especially, I'm pretty sure Nintendo's taking a degree of the royalties for the Mario IP's usage, so Ubisoft-main's cut is probably even smaller than usual if that's a concern. I can't speak for others, but I have several principle points towards supporting this specific game even if not supporting Ubisoft in general

[@CitrusArchitect]

I’m actually in the same boat - I hardly ever buy their games because they don’t appeal to me, but this one was absolutely an exception. I’m a big fan of Soleani and want to see him make more.

[@jaxonajiri4955]

I 100% agree with this.

[@bulkypigeon]

I didn’t know about any of this before buying it, this makes me feel a little bit better about my decision and enjoyment of the game.

[@mr.cheesytoad5845]

I feel exactly the same. And I mean, this is one of the best Mario RPGS we've had in years with so much creativity thrown into it. It's a shame there are some who will miss out on this game.

[@goldmemberpb]

I have only gotten ubisoft games recently on very big sales. While Ubisoft's workplace environment is really awful, punishing the team who seems really passionate about their game by not supporting them also seems a bit crappy. It's a very lose-lose scenario. It is great to bring awareness again to this but if we don't support what we like because of company corruption, that pretty much applies to even the shirts off our backs. I don't really blame anyone for never buying anything from ubisoft or for just buying the game they like regardless of any corruption that happens to a company.

[@Hi_Names_Nat]

Thanks for doing what you can to support our nightmare industry getting better, Arlo. I was always hoping the industry would improve by the time I graduated and entered it. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case.

[@franciscotorres9616]

So glad you made this video, thanks for listening to your subscribers and being so candid and transparent about your perspective. Indeed there are many people with little or none knowledge about this kind of realities and practices. Thank you Arlo!! ps. Loved your reference about burning bridges

[@guccigamer5907]

I was considering buying this game when you made this review. And I am 100% on board with buying it used or just not at all as long as he is still running the show.

[@battleaxe18]

I'm really pround of you Arlo! I was thinking to check the Mario and Wrabbits series, I'm a big X-com fan, but thanks to you, I'm good. And on another note: the bridge made me laugh way more then it should XD A splendid visual gag !

[@supinearcanum]

With you Arlo, it's best practice to not cover it. Oh, and don't forget the part with Activision where we found out that a lot of the members of their board are the same people who lobbied congress to continue torturing people during the Iraq war. The chick who invented "Enhance Interrogation Techniques" as a phrase, she's on Activision Blizzards board of directors. It's insane.

[@faqsimil]

good on you Arlo, really commend your integrity about all this and using your platform to raise more awareness

[@treydickerson9034]

Huge respect for Arlo, and to this video. I hope this reaches a lot of people.

[@TheDubiousGluestick]

I feel like you have made your feelings on this topic clear for a while now but I really appreciate you putting your thoughts together in this piece. Its is well done. Proud of you for putting yourself out there - definitely support more content like this!

[@moldyshishkabob]

Really great to hear this from Arlo. This is the kind of topic that I hear every now and again from more industry news-oriented channels. Hearing it from a more review-based channel (especially one that's significantly more family-friendly) I think is great for awareness. Loads of respect for not taking a sponsorship deal out of this. That is true integrity. EDIT: I'd also like to mention that I'm surprised that very few people talked about Ubisoft's trying to hop on the NFT bandwagon with ONE OF THEIR MAJOR FRANCHISES. That was a major red flag for me and proof of the shoddy company culture.

[@LBrivet]

This is absolutely fantastic. I'm so tired of big youtubers complaining about practices they hate in the industry, particularly yearly cashgrab releases such as Maden or FIFA, then buying the games and dedicating them 40 minutes videos on day 1, blaming the playerbase like they're not part of it only because "its their job".

[@MoogMuskie]

Yes, I'm sick of seeing KZbinrs who think they are the exception and that they can get away with hypocritically supporting horrible practices in an industry just because they make money off of supporting them. They're allowed to make there own decision to support something that they don't agree with; but it's clear that the only reason they make the decision is because they are going to make money out of it in the end.

[@_-Lx-_]

Exactly, probably the thing I despise the most about reviewer youtubers, most clearly seen with series such as Pokémon where youtubers constantly talk about how much they hate the state of the franchise and how lazy and corporate it is but at the same time they buy the game for full price day one plus all it's DLC (Or in Scott The Wozz's case BOTH versions as well when he hasn't ever even been interested in the series) just so they can make a video and pretend they're not part of the problem, I say if anyone is a fan of a game going through a big controversy they claim they don't won't to support, simply buy it second hand or use a 3rd party key source. Personally I plan on getting the game but will do my best to either get it from a 3rd party source or buy used or wait for very heavy discount, I respect Arlo for actually having his money where his mouth is on this when so many others are hypocrites.

[@MoogMuskie]

@@_-Lx-_ "Why do I keep buying games from a company that treats me like dog shit? How would I know they treat me like dog shit if I don't keep buying games from them" - Scott the Woz This is what came to mind when you said about reviewers supporting Pokemon lol. I literally started writing this before finishing reading your comment and you actually mentioned Scott the Woz lmao.

[@mrshmuga9]

@@MoogMuskie I mean, it’s kind of damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If they complain about it without buying, people will say you don’t know what you’re talking about and shouldn’t speak. If you do buy it to get context and explain why people shouldn’t buy it, then you’re considered just as bad as everyone else. Even if the purpose is to show you have legitimate reason to dissuade people because you’re not talking out of your a$$.

[@lukebytes5366]

@@mrshmuga9 which is sad since that rhetoric is busted anyway. Why should anyone who no longer trusts a company have to keep consuming from them if they want to authentically consider them bad?

[@saulitix]

Thank you, both Stephanie Sterling and Arlo, for taking your time to talk about this, because in the end even if Ubisoft's games keep selling, this issue is too important to just ignore it.

[@trainlover6099]

So glad you're bringing attention to this. I am boycotting Sparks of Hope and it hurts but it's important

[@cianthompson966]

I am really proud and happy to see Arlo’a mature view on this and how he dealt with this topic. And still he’s a fluffy monster dude

[@alessandrobozzi7085]

I've visited the Ubisoft Milan headquarters for an interview. I can assure y'all that (as far as the Italian branch goes, that is) it's a nice environment. The people I've talked to used to write for the Italian Official Nintendo Magazine back when it was a thing (until 2013), and their hearts are very much in the right place.

[@epicgamner1139]

i hate that it has to be this way, but i 100% agree with you on this. This company just isn't ok and im glad to see someone actually trying to be a good person in today's world.

[@benmalsky9834]

Will you ever get Sparks of Hope then? It’s a great game and a true labor of love from its devs.

[@epicgamner1139]

@@benmalsky9834 I'm reaaaaaally on the fence. i probably will since the game is, like you said, made by good passionate people. But if anything else bad comes out of this game or ubisoft gets worse, then i might have to hold back

[@benmalsky9834]

@@epicgamner1139 Trust me, I don’t love the people at the top at Ubisoft, but I do love Davide Sloani and we can all tell that he has so much love and passion for Mario.

[@benmalsky9834]

@@epicgamner1139 I REALLY don’t like the idea of simply not being a fan of something because people online say so. I live by doing whatever makes you happy and like whatever you want and play whatever games you want

[@epicgamner1139]

@@benmalsky9834 agreed. its probably a yes, im waiting until a patented ubisoft sale to pick it up

[@nickk3077]

Never thought I’d see an Arlo video with the words “sexual harassment” in the thumbnail!

[@reecenotryhs]

As someone who's been actively boycotting Ubisoft since 2020, when this situation really started kicking off, this is one of the best videos I've seen on the topic. You're very well-informed, and the way you've relayed all the relevant information and your own stance on the matter are indicative of someone that understands the complexity and nuance surrounding this. Superb stuff.

[@i8dacookies890]

The shadow of the fire is a really neat touch, but I don't think that's how light works. Edit: Yeah, I meant reflection. but it's still a weird dark color.

[@holypluto9627]

Do you know what a reflection is?

[@NotAnEldritchHorror]

I think it's meant to be a reflection not a shadow

[@bubblesnopemporium5880]

It took me 18 minutes to realize the symbolism of the burning “bridge” 🤦‍♂️

[@demonslife]

honestly think this should be part of a series of videos, it's not only an interesting topic but it's also something people should be aware of

[@marsdust332]

And it could be an extremely long series of videos that never runs out because literally every single company of any size (let's say over 50 people) on Earth is exploiting its employees. Literally every single one of them.

[@demonslife]

@@marsdust332 and hopefully a playlist would have it as oldest to newest 😆

[@wolfsk1n]

Good to see content creators like Jim Sterling and Arlo to use their reach to shine the light on these issues and keep it from being buried.

[@eddybeals611]

That tea sipping was an incredible moment lol, well done!

[@mino2123]

arlo legit is one of the best creators on youtube right now, i hope he sticks around to keep making good stuff and being such a positive person

[@SonofMrPeanut]

I remember FarFromSubtle joking about Yves being a Bond villain, based on his E3 stage presence. Maybe their subconscious was telling them something.

[@TakumiJoyconBoyz]

Man, I havent watched FrashFrash in ages...

[@SonofMrPeanut]

@@TakumiJoyconBoyz He and Becky live in Tokyo now.

[@LOLManArchives]

Now THAT'S a deep cut!

[@CJ-ln5ov]

I didn’t realize it at first, but I started to tear up near the end of the video. I love the first Mario + Rabbids with all my heart, and was so excited for this sequel. I bought it Day 1, and it has quickly become one of my Top 10 games of the year. However, now that I’ve heard this brave stance from you, I think I kind of regret not waiting to buy it used. I’m always trying to separate the art from the artist, but…this is bigger than that, isn’t it? I ask myself, will I sit on this topic and give it extra thought, taking a stand and refusing to hand the fat cats my cash? Or will I simply dismiss it and fall into the denial of “Oh, I’m just one person, my money can’t make a difference”? I’ll have to wait and see. Amazing video. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

[@DuckyShrunks]

You als have to remember that the devs who worked on Sparks of Hope are the only good devs out there (mainly Ubisoft Milan, as I seen the devs there are passionate.)

[@TheShuuman]

Way I look at it, if you got Sparks of Hope and enjoy the game continue to enjoy the damn game. The fact is you are aware of it now and can make informed decisions about it in the future.

[@SomeYouTubeTraveler]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I'd already bought my backlog of Assassin's Creed games via some ridiculously cheap Steam sale before I heard about what was going on at Ubisoft, and now I feel a bit scummy playing their stuff. But I already own it, so... idk.

[@CJ-ln5ov]

@@DuckyShrunks True, but I thought Arlo said that the devs already got their money for making the game, and any money we spend gets sent to the higher-ups? Did I mishear that? Is he wrong?

[@alexandercoombs3602]

I already pre ordered before discovering this channel, and honestly I don't know what to do

[@saminallcaps6982]

Really glad you're talking about this! It did feel as though this had been forgotten by most of the community, I've not bought Ubisoft games (other than the odd pre-owned one) since 2019 or so now, but it seemed like everyone else had moved on, or just forgot given the amount of garbage everyone's had to deal with these last few years.

[@ThellVallock]

Always nice to see a video open with a warm, cozy fire.

[@Satellaview1889]

Thank you so much for making this video Arlo. I hate the fact that every other day I hear another update on how some company is making life Hell for good people, and further tarnishing the name of the games industry. Ubisoft needs to be held accountable, and seeing someone with your voice speaking out gives me hope.

[@spalunkiA]

Dude I'm a game developer and it really rules to hear you calling out their terrible behaviour and not supportinf companies treating people terribly. I understand this isn't something you have to adress but the fact you did is something I really respect. Thank you Arlo

[@jackflynn412]

Arlo is one of the most moral KZbinrs for talking about this when nobody else did. Thanks for raising awareness! You're great Arlo!

[@007supanova]

"no-one else did"? People have been talking about this for years. Years. Its well known ubisoft sucks. But hey, arlo only waited until a few years later when ubisoft happened to release a game on a nintendo console so he can cash in with a drama video. Hes not moral. Hes opportunistic.

[@jackflynn412]

@@007supanova As I said before in another reply, if he said it while it was going on nobody would've noticed. We may not know his motivations. Maybe he is capitalizing on it as drama. But it still is good to spread awareness about the Ubisoft abuse. Also you say people have been talking about this for years but that simply isn't true. Not a lot of people covered it. More people covered ActiVision Blizzard

[@007supanova]

@@jackflynn412 It is true. Ask anyone with basic knowledge of the gaming scene. They will tell you about ubisofts bad workplaces. It was known in 2021. It was known in 2020. There were even cases being made apparant in 2019 and 2018. And a lot of people did cover it. Just no-one cared. You know one of the people who didnt cover it? Arlo. Cos he had nothing to gain from it.

[@jackflynn412]

@@007supanova It wasn't that well known as you make out to be. Everyone heard of Activision Blizzard harassing employees. Every news outlet and every KZbinr was covering it. This was not as widespread. And let's just say Arlo was hypothetically doing it for selfish reasons, it is still good that is being made more aware is it not? If it becomes really widespread we might see Ubisoft go under investigation like Activision Blizzard did. People can do good things for selfish reasons. I'm just glad someone is talking about it. Especially because most KZbinrs are talking about the dumb Bayonetta drama that wasn't even real.

[@007supanova]

@@jackflynn412 No, it was more widespread than you make it out to be. I work in the industry. We hear everything. It is literally my job to gauge fan feedback, and what is important to the general populace. It was known. It just wasnt as cared about as much, because at the time, ubisoft had no "big hitters". Assassins creed wasnt doing great, mario and rabbids sold badly, hence why it still sees collossal discounts regularly, and the only other big name was immortals fenyx rising which many were discounting as a botw clone. Gamers dont care about companies that arent relevant. Remember gearbox? How that had documented cases of assault against employees? Nope, because borderlands 3 hadnt been made yet, and borderlands 2 was old. So no-one cared. And i dont care if its good for selfish reasons. But dont try and sit there and argue that hes some "bastion of virtue" when all evidence points to the contrary. It gives youtubers more ego than they need.

[@Dal_9000]

Thanks for covering this topic, Arlo. I know it wasn't enjoyable for you to talk about, but you did it anyway, more people need to know about this stuff.

[@WhyYouWahYoo]

My brain just doesn't work the way you see it I guess. As you said, in a world full of evil, there's no such thing as ethical consumption. Which means I simply cannot bring myself to be selective about what I buy when it comes to weather or not it will support evil people. If I chose to never buy a Ubisoft game, I would have to never buy a Disney movie, and a Nestle food... etc. Monitoring that feels like a useless task when you really think about it. Seriously, even if I bought a completely different, Non-Ubisoft title, it would probably eventually get to some evil person. That's why, when it comes to buying a game from any compony, I examine the content of it, the message of it... weather it's a kind of game I want more off, and then make the decision. Many will say I am complacent or a consumer shill, but I promise you, I do have morals, and standards. I would never willingly hurt anybody, but making a decision that seems direct, like boycotting a game from a clearly evil compony, ultimately leads to a lifestyle of obsession about everything you buy or consume. I just can't do that. I respect you a ton, Arlo. Agree to disagree.

[@Leavce]

Basically my take as well

[@Dantaru78]

Your feelings are valid, but your choice on what you choose to consume and support doesn’t have to be rational. Just because you take a stance once, doesn’t mean you have to always give up something you want in the future because it conflicts your previous choice. Sometimes, the decision to not buy something in tandem with others sends a powerful statement in and of itself.

[@shardell]

Even if supporting a game that’s genuinely good and creative and what the industry needs doesn’t directly benefit the developers (it does but hey whatever), not supporting such game does directly harm them, and the industry. Nothing related to game sales is gonna make a bunch of executives rethink sexually harassing coworkers, this is a game that already has all the odds stacked against it, being connected to a franchise often seen as little more than proto minions and having the (unfair) reputation of just being for kids, while ALSO being a deep turn-based strategy game with an interesting story, which would be a bit more mature than what most of the rabbid’s target audience is capable of. It’s a game that right out of the gate appeals to almost nobody, and can only succeed based purely on its own merit and quality. The fact that the original game did well enough to deserve a sequel is incredible, and we need to see more of this, and we really need to support the game. And for the devs? If this game doesn’t do well financially, the team probably isn’t gonna be given nearly as big jobs and they’ll just be seen as less profitable. This is a bit like lecturing an underpaid, overworked chick-fil-a cashier/cook because the executives of the company are homophobic.

[@aubreycasa]

I really appreciate you making this decision. As someone who’s faced harassment in the workplace, reading about what happened at the companies didn’t surprise me, but did dishearten me. Keep doing what you’re doing

[@hizzyethan97]

Ok. But the “burning bridges” metaphor was spot on. Love it.

[@L8RG8R2U]

Thank you for bringing this more attention. Companies that allow abusers to get away with horrible things while punishing victims, that's the definition of evil. As much as I want to be a game developer, I can't in good conscience work for a large company knowing how awful the industry has become.

[@johnbassi3615]

Work as an indie Dev! I'm making a game and while it is far from done (or might not ever get done, but hopefully it will), it still allows me to go to college, have a real part time job on the weekends, etc. And yes, I agree that all of this news is horrible and something should be done about it. I personally bought the game, but if I would have known how bad it really was, I probably would have bought it used, or at least on sale.

[@BDOGG345]

This was a great video! I love when you talk openly about this stuff, and it's really good to continue the conversation about Ubisoft that stopped.

[@ExploDjinn]

Was this video a good idea? Probably not. Do I respect you for making it? Absolutely. You're a good guy, Arlo.

[@Yuti640]

I really appreciate that you talked about this subject head on, instead of avoiding actually discussing what happened to not be too dark since you gotta be very clear when it comes to this sort of stuff

[@Darkfiretiger]

I appreciate that you've drawn your line in the sand and said not one step further, I hope your words can reach others as they have me, I was considering buying this game yesterday waiting on a few more reviews but I'll wait for it to come out second hand.

[@MoogMuskie]

Same with me. I'm getting it second hand and will only encourage others to get it second hand too if I enjoy it.

[@JB-fp3fb]

Are there peg-legged sailors of the seven seas for Switch games yet? Getting a free copy of a game off the internet is always a good way to make sure your gaming isn't supporting people like Yves Guillemot.

[@deebzscrub]

I really appreciate you coming out and talking about this because, like you mentioned, not very many people were talking about it when the stories first broke and this is the first I've seen anyone on youtube bring it up in quite some time.

[@The_Starkindler]

My dad has always been really insightful and I remember he once told me that HR isn't here to help me, it is there to preserve the "interests of the company". He couldn't have been more right. We see the same thing at places like Apple.

[@GrayAndGrey]

It's easy to burn bridges when others spill accelerators and combustibles first. But then you provide the spark, they get uppity and shunt all responsibility and liability for the burned bridge. Don't be surprised if this video and channel is impacted negatively in some way. And don't be afraid to do more videos like this; you are doing good.

[@zose270]

Sadly human resources isn't about helping the employees and making sure that they are all being treated fairly. It's actually about helping the company save face and making sure that none of those employees step forward and cause issues. Human resources isn't your friend. It's a mechanism of the company to protect itself... Not to protect you...

[@jmtheelitefan9616]

Well said, I wish more people were aware of this.

[@ChanJENI]

"There is no ethical consumption under [mumble mumble] capitalsim" - Comrade Arlo has joined the fight! I met Yves when I worked at Ubisoft. Considering I was a random schmo from a small, money-losing studio under the Ubisoft umbrella, and he was the CEO of a multi-billion dollar multinational entertainment business, he was surprisingly personable. The guy just radiates a charisma and friendliness that doesn't really come across in the videos I've seen of him. He absolutely comes across as one of those friendly, nice guys who wants the best for everyone. He's not, but you wouldn't know that from sitting down across from him. He 100% protected abusers at the expense of their victims. He approved of a power structure that created an untouchable management class. They operated with the knowledge that Yves had their back, and he did. And that culture trickled down to all ends of the company. I, myself, witnessed toxic individual contributors creating a hostile work environment for women, and the studio we worked for did little more than try and shop the toxic people off to other Ubisoft offices. Some management tried to take the accusations seriously, but those managers ended up leaving the company shortly thereafter. Ubisoft employs some amazing people. I have dear friends who still work there, and who are doing well for themselves there. But, as Arlo said, they get paid a salary, and see nothing from game sales. Bonuses are handed out to project leads and above; the people doing the actual work on the games get nothing more than a biweekly paycheque that is too small for their skill level. The company itself is rotten to the core.

[@Hawkatana]

Thank you for bringing this up. The fact so many in the community just shrugged it aside is ultimately sickening, and the only person other than you that I can think of who's still talking about it is Jim Sterling.

[@JB-fp3fb]

I don't know how Jim Steph Sterling has been doing what they do for so long, and faced down so much vitriol while doing it. Just hearing about it is too much for me sometimes. They are incredible.

[@Hawkatana]

@@JB-fp3fb Agreed. I myself got repeatedly told to shut up whenever I brought Ubisoft's crimes up, I can't imagine how Steph had to deal with it.

[@mephilisthedarkelijahramat182]

@@JB-fp3fb I think it's more then that cause Jim Steph sterling isn't as liked anymore

[@_-Lx-_]

The burning bridge is such a good gag, mad respect for this video.

[@luisoncpp]

Thanks for bringing us this information, Arlo, the more know about these issues, the better. However, my posture on how to take action is quite different than yours: it cannot be expected from consumers to know everything about how each one of the things we buy are manufactured/created. Also, boycotts tend to work only in very short term, until malpractices of a company stop being news, the boycott stops being relevant so it would losse attraction. It's very unlikely that someone would join a boycott of a company due to something they did 10 years ago. The whole thing about voting with our wallet what kind of stuff we want to support only works as a way to reward quality and low prices rather than ethical production practices. The ones who should be prosecuting the abusers and the accomplices are the authorities, not the consumers. If you still think the consumers should research everything they buy, just see the bigger picture: If the producers had the option to do unethical things to make cheaper or better products, they would have the pressure to do it because if their competition do that and they don't, then they may not even stay at float. Even if there are consumers that care about good practices, the producers would still have to find a balance between the pressure of their competition and the pressure of some consumers (that may even have conflicting values among them). ...and having to find a "balance" between doing the right thing and being competent shouldn't be a choice that the companies should have to take. Companies should be forced to do the right thing always. In that way, companies would know that their competition are also doing the right thing and they wouldn't be punished by the market for doing the right thing. I know this kind of abuse don't help Ubisoft to be more competitive, so they don't have that excuse, but my point was to argument why it should be government's responsability rather than just trusting in the free market. Lastly, some 5exua1 missconduct should be punished by jail and not by receiving a lower pay check due to poor sales numbers.

[@JB-fp3fb]

I agree with what you're saying in theory. But if you think scummy executives and corporate HR are bad wait til you hear about judges, DA's, and the police. Also, even in a world where the authorities could be trusted and relied upon to prosecute these kinds of abuses, why couldn't/shouldn't both happen? Why not punishment in the marketplace AND the courtroom?

[@aka_Ingmar]

I would have never guessed that you would have talked about this to the extent that you are in this video and I am so proud to be a subscriber more than ever at this given moment because you decided to talk about this on your channel people need to know about this on all levels so thank you

[@Andrew84UK]

Must say I wasn’t aware of any of this and did purchase the game. It’s the first Ubisoft game I’ve bought in years, probably my last now

[@Caru14]

Imagine a puppet being the only big KZbin voice calling out abuse at Ubisoft. Thanks Arlo for the good work! Mad respect.

[@amphibiousRV]

"There is no ethical consumption under our current model of unchecked capitalism." -Arlo "Kicking Absolute Butt Today" The Blue Monster, 2022

[@agathaarnott3083]

As a women in show business (live music) and friends in the video game industry, thank you for taking this seriously and not sweeping abuse under the rug.

[@morriganainsley5108]

Thank you for staying true to your convictions, especially when so many other youtubers just won't. Love you Arlo, you're the best

[@bromeliad9683]

I respect your decision to make this video. Hopefully a lot more people are aware of the corruption within Ubisoft now.

[@Nicdehouwer]

this is golden arlo. Everyone should talk about those kind of things more.

[@Hercules_Flexing]

Great video, and kudos to you for being so open bout this unfortunate issue. It’s important to talk about. Also nice job putting the reflection of the flames on the water too… you don’t sweat the details!

[@0_Cardboard_0]

This is your best video in a long time Great job Arlo

[@jinjer420]

I feel like the burned bridge analogy is very fitting for Arlo’s style

[@Vrikrar]

Sadly, all that boycotting a game does when a company is as large as ubisoft, is show them that that games creative team and other members did not make a profitable enough game. If this sequel were to make less then the first one, all that would happen is a few high up guys would shrug and there would never be a third installment. There is no boycott>sales fall>conditions improve chain of causality unless all of the games for the entire company are affected, and at this scale its just not going to happen.

[@PatLikesCats]

This is what I love about your channel. You send joy to our hearts but do not fear talking about things that are not going well. Thanks for your work, lovely blue monster!

[@ben-tendo]

Promoting those who abuse is sadly very common. Twice I’ve been directly or indirectly involved in an abuse case with management in retail stores, and the way the company and their HR “solved” it by moving them to either a larger branch (so a promotion) or shifting them to a smaller branch but not lowering their salary (so less work for the same pay).

[@taylorlovell3072]

Thank you for talking about this Arlo! I was hyped for the new M+R but I had forgotten about all this stuff. 24-hour news cycle, amiright?

[@Kwatcher100]

“Piracy itself can be the right course.”

[@gollumer8821]

Thanks for that video, on a sensible yet very important matter. In France, it made a bigger splash (as Ubisoft is still mainly managed by french family). It's a good thing to remind people that these issues are still present. Thank you!