A French court has convicted three former Ubisoft executives—Serge Hascoet, Tommy Francois, and Guillaume Patrux—of sexual and psychological harassment following a lengthy investigation. Hascoet, the ex-chief creative officer, was accused of inappropriate comments about improving a female employee’s mood through sex. Francois, former editorial vice president, was found guilty of attempted sexual assault and harassment, linked to an incident where he tried to forcibly kiss a female employee while others restrained her. Patrux, a former game director, engaged in aggressive behavior including throwing furniture and drawing swastikas on a colleague’s notebook. These revelations emerged amid a 2020 #MeToo movement wave in the gaming industry, with many Ubisoft employees sharing experiences of harassment and bullying. Internal surveys showed significant workplace misconduct and unsafe environments. The fallout led to resignations and arrests of several executives. Francois cited the company culture as a contributor to his actions, describing it as pervasive and normalized at Ubisoft. Ubisoft has been contacted for comment by The Verge.
Back
