EDIT: Swatting at Ubisoft Montreal studios

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**creeping-deth87**

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/13/montreal-possible-hostage-ubisoft-offices

A major police operation was under way in Montreal on Friday afternoon at offices of French video game company Ubisoft that local media reported was a possible hostage-taking.

Police confirmed the large deployment on Twitter had started at about 1.30pm, but offered no details while urging people to “avoid the area” near St-Laurent Boulevard and St-Viateur Street in Montreal’s Mile-End neighbourhood, close to downtown.

Television images showed the streets around the old brick building cordoned off by heavily armed officers, and dozens of Ubisoft workers who appeared to have barricaded themselves on the rooftop.

“Police officers were dispatched to the scene to respond to a 911 call,” a police spokesperson told AFP.

“The information has still not been validated,” the official said, adding that “officers specializing in this type of intervention are currently on the scene and are carrying out checks”.

“No injuries were reported.”

More details soon …

Definitely not your typical game news. I wonder what happened. Maybe a disgruntled employee that couldn't take the crunch anymore?

**Kanluwen**

It was a swatting, apparently. They're still clearing the building which takes up half a city block.

**BrianDavion**

Kanluwen wrote:
It was a swatting, apparently. They're still clearing the building which takes up half a city block.

someone must have REAAAALLY disliked the new assasins' creed game...

**Overread**

The guardian article now confirmed it as well as a Swatting/false call. I hope they catch whoever it was; its horrible to think that "Swatting" is a thing that has enough examples to have gained a name for itself within computer game culture.

**BrianDavion**

Overread wrote:
The guardian article now confirmed it as well as a Swatting/false call. I hope they catch whoever it was; its horrible to think that "Swatting" is a thing that has enough examples to have gained a name for itself within computer game culture.

it'll be caught, I bet the guy responsable has already released a manifesto online.

**Eumerin**

Overread wrote:
The guardian article now confirmed it as well as a Swatting/false call. I hope they catch whoever it was; its horrible to think that "Swatting" is a thing that has enough examples to have gained a name for itself within computer game culture.

Not just computer game culture. Pretty much anything to do with online mouth pieces that others don't like. I could name a couple of people who are notorious for swatting political bloggers that they're feuding with (among other forms of harassment). Swatting a video game company is a new one to me, though.

The thing that makes swatting particularly frustrating is that in most instances the victim knows exactly who did it, but there's no way to actually prove that the person in question is guilty since a smart swatter will cover their tracks when making the phone call to the local law enforcement. Even worse, it's gotten victims (and the resident of at least one wrong address, iirc) killed when jumpy cops open fire on someone who hasn't got a clue why the cops are at his or her door. Hopefully they have enough proof to catch the person who did this, and nail them to the wall.

**Overread**

It's surprising they'd go after a larger company yes, normally when I've read about it they've normally been against just individuals. As you say bloggers or youtube channels or twitch players etc.... Basically individuals who likely don't want the extended costs and hassle of trying to push things further.

Companies are a different beast because they've got far more resources so they can stretch things out and go the extra mile. Plus the stresses on them as a company are different to a person; many individuals would be just happy the police went away and nothing worse came of it.

**AllSeeingSkink**

Overread wrote:
It's surprising they'd go after a larger company yes, normally when I've read about it they've normally been against just individuals. As you say bloggers or youtube channels or twitch players etc.... Basically individuals who likely don't want the extended costs and hassle of trying to push things further.

Companies are a different beast because they've got far more resources so they can stretch things out and go the extra mile. Plus the stresses on them as a company are different to a person; many individuals would be just happy the police went away and nothing worse came of it.

Shouldn't it be the police chasing up the people doing the swatting rather than the individual victims?

**Not Online!!!**

well, ubisoft has no shortage of employees that would indeed have more then enough reason to be agitated torwards their company, especially it's higher echelons...

so it might very well could've been one taking revenge for all the nice things that their higher ups have done.

**Overread**

AllSeeingSkink wrote:
Overread wrote:
It's surprising they'd go after a larger company yes, normally when I've read about it they've normally been against just individuals. As you say bloggers or youtube channels or twitch players etc.... Basically individuals who likely don't want the extended costs and hassle of trying to push things further.

Companies are a different beast because they've got far more resources so they can stretch things out and go the extra mile. Plus the stresses on them as a company are different to a person; many individuals would be just happy the police went away and nothing worse came of it.

Shouldn't it be the police chasing up the people doing the swatting rather than the individual victims?

True, but I guess it depends if the individual/group who was swatted is required to be part of the process. Or if them being part of it shifts the potential charges which can be made up into a more serious category "worth police time/money investment".

**Eumerin**

Overread wrote:
AllSeeingSkink wrote:
Overread wrote:
It's surprising they'd go after a larger company yes, normally when I've read about it they've normally been against just individuals. As you say bloggers or youtube channels or twitch players etc.... Basically individuals who likely don't want the extended costs and hassle of trying to push things further.

Companies are a different beast because they've got far more resources so they can stretch things out and go the extra mile. Plus the stresses on them as a company are different to a person; many individuals would be just happy the police went away and nothing worse came of it.

Shouldn't it be the police chasing up the people doing the swatting rather than the individual victims?

True, but I guess it depends if the individual/group who was swatted is required to be part of the process. Or if them being part of it shifts the potential charges which can be made up into a more serious category "worth police time/money investment".

From what I understand, a swatting is generally under FBI purview (since it's usually across state lines). A corporation's ability to explicitly influence the FBI is more limited than, say, the local city police department.

On the other hand, a sufficiently ticked off corporation can spend time and resources looking for evidence after a government agency that wasn't the actual target has decided to move on to crimes that are more likely to result in arrests. That information can then be handed over to the government agency tasked with investigating the crime (assuming it was obtained legally).

**Voss**

Since this happened in Canada, I strongly suspect the FBI isn't going to be involved (unless the perpetrators are in the US).

Also- could we get the title edited to make it clear this was a fake?

**Eumerin**

Voss wrote:
Since this happened in Canada, I strongly suspect the FBI isn't going to be involved (unless the perpetrators are in the US).

Also- could we get the title edited to make it clear this was a fake?

D'oh. That's right. Nonetheless, I suspect that the Canadian equivalent would be involved as it's very unlikely that the perpetrator is located close to Montreal.

**creeping-deth87**

Title has been fixed. I'm glad no one was hurt, but it was still a pretty gakky thing to do. I hope they catch the perpetrator fast.