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Free Malaysia Today
03-07-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
French court convicts ex-Ubisoft bosses for workplace harassment
Ubisoft launched an internal investigation in 2020 after the company was accused of a toxic work culture. (AFP pic) BOBIGNY : A French court sentenced three former Ubisoft executives today to suspended prison terms for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment at the gaming giant. Thomas Francois, a former editorial vice-president who was also convicted on a charge of attempted sexual assault, received the heaviest sentence of a suspended three-year term. Among the three defendants, he faced the most damning allegations, including forcing an employee to do a headstand while in a skirt. During the trial, the court heard that Francois would greet employees using gendered insults, attempt to touch peoples' genitals as part of a so-called 'game', and try to kiss male employees by surprise. Francois testified during the trial that he 'lacked perspective' during the incidents from 2012 to 2020, when he was aged between 38 and 46, saying he believed at the time that he was 'treating people with respect'. For his part, former chief creative officer Serge Hascoet, 60, was given an 18-month suspended sentence for psychological harassment and complicity in sexual harassment. Hascoet told the court he was unaware of the harassment happening outside of his glass office. But he also instructed his female assistants to perform personal tasks for him not linked to their qualifications, such as picking up his daughter from school or crossing Paris to buy him peanuts. 'It's what we see in films,' said Hascoet during the trial to justify the behaviour. 'Films are not reality,' the presiding judge replied. A third executive, former games director Guillaume Patrux, received a 12-month suspended sentence for bullying that was on a 'smaller scale' but 'particularly intense for his team'. The court ordered Francois to pay a €30,000 fine, while Hascoet was fined €45,000 and Patrux €10,000. 'Held accountable' During the trial, the defence lawyers insisted that their clients had never received any disciplinary warnings from human resources. Ubisoft launched an internal investigation in 2020 after anonymous testimonies emerged on social media accusing the company of a toxic work culture. The gaming industry has been scrutinised for years over its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace – and the way they are depicted in games. Hascoet resigned from his post as chief creative officer after the allegations surfaced in the media. Francois and Patrux were dismissed for serious misconduct following an internal inquiry in 2020. A lawyer for the civil parties hailed the decision today as a broader victory against workplace harassment. 'This is a very good decision today, and for the future, said Maude Beckers. 'For all companies, it means that when there is toxic management, managers must be held accountable and employers can no longer let it slide,' she added.
Malay Mail
03-07-2025
- Malay Mail
‘Toxic culture': Ex-Ubisoft bosses get suspended jail terms for workplace harassment
BOBIGNY (France), July 3 — A French court sentenced three former Ubisoft executives on Wednesday to suspended prison terms for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment at the gaming giant. Thomas Francois, a former editorial vice president who was also convicted on a charge of attempted sexual assault, received the heaviest sentence of a suspended three-year term. Among the three defendants, he faced the most damning allegations, including forcing an employee to do a headstand while in a skirt. During the trial, the court heard that Francois would greet employees using gendered insults, attempt to touch peoples' genitals as part of a so-called 'game', and try to kiss male employees by surprise. Francois testified during the trial that he 'lacked perspective' during the incidents from 2012 to 2020, when he was aged between 38 and 46, saying he believed at the time that he was 'treating people with respect'. For his part, former chief creative officer Serge Hascoet, 60, was given an 18-month suspended sentence for psychological harassment and complicity in sexual harassment. Hascoet told the court he was unaware of the harassment happening outside of his glass office. But he also instructed his female assistants to perform personal tasks for him not linked to their qualifications, such as picking up his daughter from school or crossing Paris to buy him peanuts. 'It's what we see in films,' said Hascoet during the trial to justify the behaviour. 'Films are not reality,' the presiding judge replied. A third executive, former games director Guillaume Patrux, received a 12-month suspended sentence for bullying that was on a 'smaller scale' but 'particularly intense for his team'. The court ordered Francois to pay a €30,000 (RM149,450) fine, while Hascoet was fined €45,000 and Patrux €10,000. 'Held accountable' During the trial, the defence lawyers insisted that their clients had never received any disciplinary warnings from human resources. Ubisoft launched an internal investigation in 2020 after anonymous testimonies emerged on social media accusing the company of a toxic work culture. The gaming industry has been scrutinised for years over its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace — and the way they are depicted in games. Hascoet resigned from his post as chief creative officer after the allegations surfaced in the media. Francois and Patrux were dismissed for serious misconduct following an internal inquiry in 2020. A lawyer for the civil parties hailed the decision on Wednesday as a broader victory against workplace harassment. 'This is a very good decision today, and for the future, said Maude Beckers. 'For all companies, it means that when there is toxic management, managers must be held accountable and employers can no longer let it slide,' she added. — AFP
The Verge
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Three former Ubisoft executives are convicted of sexual and psychological harassment
A court in France has sentenced three former Ubisoft executives for sexual and psychological harassment. Serge Hascoet, Tommy Francois, and Guillaume Patrux each received fines and suspended prison sentences for their actions that were discovered as a part of a years-long investigation into sexual harassment and bullying at the game publisher. According to The Guardian, Hascoet, Ubisoft's former chief creative officer, allegedly commented that a female employee's mood could be improved if someone were to have sex with her in order to, 'show how to calm her.' Francois, Ubisoft's former editorial vice president, was additionally convicted of attempted sexual assault as well as sexual harassment related to an alleged incident where he tried to forcefully kiss a female employee at a party while colleagues held her down. Patrux, a former game director, was alleged to have thrown furniture in open-plan office space, throwing other objects at employees, and drawing swastikas on a colleague's notebook. Investigations into Ubisoft began in 2020 as a part of the #metoo movement in video games. Current and former employees took to social media in June 2020 to describe harmful incidents and attitudes at the Far Cry and Assassin's Creed developer that spanned decades. An internal survey conducted at that time reported that out of 14,000 employees surveyed, 25 percent had seen or experienced workplace misconduct, while 20 percent said they did not feel safe or respected at the company. In the aftermath, several Ubisoft executives, including Hascoet, resigned while others, including Francois, were fired. In 2023, five former employees, including Hascoet and Francois, were arrested by French police following an investigation into the company. According to French newspaper Le Monde, Francois blamed company culture at Ubisoft for his behavior, saying he was a part of a culture that was 'everywhere, in every department' and that he didn't think it was 'abnormal.' The Verge has reached out to Ubisoft for comment.
CTV News
02-07-2025
- CTV News
French court convicts ex-Ubisoft bosses for workplace harassment
The logo of French video game publisher Ubisoft is pictured at the Paris games week in Paris, Nov. 4, 2017. Bobigny, France — A French court sentenced three former Ubisoft executives on Wednesday to suspended prison terms for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment at the gaming giant. Thomas Francois, a former editorial vice president who was also convicted on a charge of attempted sexual assault, received the heaviest sentence of a suspended three-year term. Among the three defendants, he faced the most damning allegations, including forcing an employee to do a headstand while in a skirt. During the trial, the court heard that Francois would greet employees using gendered insults, attempt to touch peoples' genitals as part of a so-called 'game', and try to kiss male employees by surprise. Francois testified during the trial that he 'lacked perspective' during the incidents from 2012 to 2020, when he was aged between 38 and 46, saying he believed at the time that he was 'treating people with respect'. For his part, former chief creative officer Serge Hascoet, 60, was given an 18-month suspended sentence for psychological harassment and complicity in sexual harassment. Hascoet told the court he was unaware of the harassment happening outside of his glass office. But he also instructed his female assistants to perform personal tasks for him not linked to their qualifications, such as picking up his daughter from school or crossing Paris to buy him peanuts. 'It's what we see in films,' said Hascoet during the trial to justify the behaviour. 'Films are not reality,' the presiding judge replied. A third executive, former games director Guillaume Patrux, received a 12-month suspended sentence for bullying that was on a 'smaller scale' but 'particularly intense for his team'. The court ordered Francois to pay a 30,000 euro ($35,340) fine, while Hascoet was fined 45,000 euros and Patrux 10,000 euros. 'Held accountable' During the trial, the defence lawyers insisted that their clients had never received any disciplinary warnings from human resources. Ubisoft launched an internal investigation in 2020 after anonymous testimonies emerged on social media accusing the company of a toxic work culture. The gaming industry has been scrutinised for years over its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace -- and the way they are depicted in games. Hascoet resigned from his post as chief creative officer after the allegations surfaced in the media. Francois and Patrux were dismissed for serious misconduct following an internal inquiry in 2020. A lawyer for the civil parties hailed the decision on Wednesday as a broader victory against workplace harassment. 'This is a very good decision today, and for the future, said Maude Beckers. 'For all companies, it means that when there is toxic management, managers must be held accountable and employers can no longer let it slide,' she added. Amelie Baron and Alexandre Marchand, AFP
France 24
02-07-2025
- France 24
French court convicts ex-Ubisoft executives over culture of workplace harassment
A French court sentenced three former Ubisoft executives on Wednesday to suspended prison terms for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment at the gaming giant. Thomas François, a former editorial vice president who was also convicted on a charge of attempted sexual assault, was handed a suspended three-year term, while former chief creative officer Serge Hascoet was given an 18-month suspended sentence. Former games director Guillaume Patrux received a 12-month suspended sentence.
