[1] On February 14, 2018, a statement was released through Le Syndicat des Travailleurs et Travailleuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV, Union of Video Game Workers) in which 21 out of 44 workers claimed that Eugen Systems had denied overtime pay, delayed paychecks, reduced gross wages below French minimum wage requirements, and failed to honour contractual and collectively bargained obligations, and that they were going on strike until their demands were met.

Eugen Systems released a statement denying the majority of these allegations, but admitting to two instances of delayed payrolls due to technical issues, rather than malicious intent.

[6][7][8] A statement from STJV a week later indicated that the strike was representative of a deeper lack of respect within the video game industry of programmers' experience and other abilities.

[10] Staff representative Félix Habert stated that it took two weeks for Eugen Systems leadership to approach him and others to resolve the issues, and the first meeting did not take place until March 5.

[11][10] A statement from STJV about this meeting stated that Eugen Systems denied that the employees' contracts were accurate or enforceable, and that the following day they sent a proposal for ending the strike that was "incomplete" and "not serious.