Ubisoft Execs Face the Music: Suspended Sentences Handed Down in Landmark Harassment Case
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Three former Ubisoft execs have been found guilty of sexual and psychological harassment in a French court, receiving suspended sentences and fines. It's a step towards accountability, but questions remain about Ubisoft's internal handling of these issues.
Right, so the folks over at Ubisoft haven't exactly been having a cracking time of it lately, and this bit of news, well, it's not exactly a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. As reported by Rock Paper Shotgun, three former Ubisoft execs have been found guilty of sexual and psychological harassment. Bloody hell, it's about time.
A French court decided that Thomas François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux weren't exactly behaving like model citizens, handing out suspended sentences and hefty fines. We're talking serious accusations here, including forced kisses, demanding female employees do handstands in skirts (I mean, *really*?), and chucking equipment around like toddlers throwing tantrums.
Thomas François, the former editorial vice-president, copped the worst of it: a three-year suspended sentence and a €30,000 fine for sexual harassment, psychological harassment, and attempted sexual assault. Can you even imagine? According to The Guardian's reporting (cited by Rock Paper Shotgun), one particularly grim anecdote involved him tying a woman to a chair with tape and shoving her into an elevator. Another woman described being forced to do handstands because she wore a miniskirt. His defense? A "culture of joking around." I reckon that's stretching the definition of "banter" a bit, wouldn't you?
Serge Hascoët, ex-chief creative officer, didn't fare much better. He was found guilty of psychological harassment and complicity in sexual harassment, though dodged the actual sexual harassment charge itself. His punishment? An 18-month suspended sentence and a €45,000 fine. The charges detailed some seriously bizarre behaviour, like making assistants run personal errands and, in one utterly disgusting incident, handing a woman a used tissue, claiming it was "worth gold at Ubisoft." I'm not sure what kind of economics they were teaching over there, but it sounds like a right mess.
And finally, Guillaume Patrux, a former game director, received a 12-month suspended sentence and a €10,000 fine for psychological harassment. His alleged antics included drawing swastikas on a woman's notebook (I mean, come ON), hurling office equipment about, cracking a whip near colleagues' faces, and setting a colleague's beard on fire. Accidentally, mind you, but still… I'm not sure I'd want him designing my kettle, let alone a AAA game.
Now, it's worth noting that all three blokes denied the charges. Colour me shocked. But the verdict does bring a measure of justice to the women who suffered, even if many other complaints from 2020 are still gathering dust. Ubisoft promised to investigate, but from the sounds of it, HR was about as useful as a chocolate teapot. It took the French legal system to actually do anything.
Ubisoft's been asked for comment, so we'll see what they have to say. But the message is pretty clear: this kind of behaviour won't be tolerated. Hopefully, this will be a step in the right direction for a healthier and fairer gaming industry. What do you reckon?
Tags: Ubisoft, Harassment, Gaming Industry, Legal, Toxic Workplace
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun