Latest news with #ThomasFrançois
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
Will Ubisoft finally take a stand against sexism, or will their legacy of inaction continue to live on?
(Image via Getty Images) For years, Ubisoft has faced allegations of fostering a toxic and sexist workplace culture. The company's top executives recent convictions for psychological and sexual harassment have reignited scrutiny over Ubisoft's work environment. With a history of empty promises and half-measures being taken, the question is whether the company is actually committed to change or if the inaction would still persist. Ubisoft's former executives got convicted in the landmark trial A French court has recently sentenced Ubisoft's three former executives for enabling a culture of harassment. An ex-editorial VP at Ubisoft, Thomas François, received the harshest penalty, which included three years of suspended prison along with €30,000 fine. The reasons cited were psychological abuse, sexual harassment, and attempted assault. Amidst disturbing allegations that came to light was his forcing a female employee to perform a headstand in the skirt while tying the other to the chair. In defense, he stated, 'There was a culture of joking.' As per him, he never intended to hurt anyone. The verdict was not accepted. Ubisoft Executives Found GUILTY In A Massive Court Case And Get Convicted Former Chief Creative Officer Serge Hascoët was fined €45,000 ($75,000) and was handed an 18-month suspension sentence for being an accomplice to psychological harassment and sexual harassment. The behavior that got him to trial was the humiliation of female assistants with degrading tasks like picking up his daughter, forcing his mail and more. As per reports, in his defense, he said, 'I was not aware of any bullying that was taking place in the workplace.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo As per him, he did not intend on harassing anyone and he doesn't believe he has. Ubisoft Execs on trial for sexual harassment and toxic workplace behavior #ubisoft #assassinscreed Lastly, the former game director at Ubisoft, Guillaume Patrux, even got convicted for workplace bullying. He received a 12-month suspended sentence with €10,000. He was accused of varied harassing behavior, including drawing swastikas on a notebook of a woman in a meeting, cracking whips near the faces of colleagues and more. Just like the other 2, even Patrux has denied all charges, but the court did note the intensity of his actions. Despite all the verdicts, Ubisoft has been on mute. As per the company's claims, there was no knowledge of any ongoing legal proceedings. In the rare moment of taking accountability, this now is a troubling stance for the corporation, which once promised reforms. According to the victim, this is a systemic issue within the organization, and this has been long ignored. Ubisoft's history of ignoring all complaints The problems of Ubisoft are not new. In 2020, some anonymous employee testimonies exposed systemic sexism. It led to internal investigations and even some high-profile resignations. Yet, as per the claims of victims, the response of the company was performative. The HR repeatedly dismissed all their complaints, with a manager allegedly stating, 'If you can't work with him, maybe it's time for you to leave.' Even the employees of Ubisoft have spoken out against the sexist environment within the workplace. A woman featured on the company's Women of Ubisoft series admitted that she noticed an indifference to how women and men were treated. While she did praise some progress, she didn't forget to acknowledge how the studio still remains male-dominated, with lingering biases. Despite making pledges to bring in reforms, a report suggests very little has changed. An employee survey conducted in 2021 revealed that 25% of the Ubisoft staff experienced or witnessed misconduct, and yet, as per many, HR fails to act on it. Ubisoft after the allegations Coming to the recent case, as reported by Libération, Maude Beckers, the lawyer who represented victims, called the verdict a message to all companies. It was further added in the statement, 'The company seems to have transformed into a large playground for creatives, where what they call a "schoolboy atmosphere" was tolerated, where people played tag, where sexual gestures were allowed in the workplace, where women were pinned to the knew all this and systematically covered up the cases. What is exceptional... is the complicity... white-collar employees." Ubisoft sexism culture goes beyond offices Sexism in Ubisoft is not confined to offices. It has been reflected in the games, too. As per reports, some former employees reveal that Assassin's Creed Odyssey's protagonist was originally supposed to be a female (Kassandra) until the executives insisted and said, 'Women don't sell.' Quite similarly, and reportedly, Assassin's Creed Unity's developers, too, claimed that adding female characters would double the work despite the evidence that the required effort was quite minimal. Despite the female leads like Evie Frye (Syndicate) got included, they got sidelined within gameplay and marketing. A Ubisoft employee in 2018 admitted that she noticed men weren't as straightforward with their female colleagues as they were with the male. As for her, she was not comfortable being treated differently just for being a woman. Why sexism continues to persist in the gaming world? Developers quite often have cited production constraints to be the reasons for excluding women within character designs and workplace policies. Once, Ubisoft even claimed that adding female assassins within Assassin's Creed Unity would double the work, despite the industry experts debunking the claims to just be an excuse. Others have argued that male-dominated industry inherently resists change. A former employee described the boys club mentality in the Paris office, where harassment got dismissed as just jokes. There were some executives who even justified misconduct, claiming it was just part of the creative culture. They implied toxicity was necessary for innovations. Ubisoft's past controversies and many broken promises Ubisoft has a track record that's riddled with controversies. Be it Assassin's Creed Odyssey's protagonist or Watch Dogs Legion backlash, the company has failed to handle concerns the right way. While the case of Assassin's Creed Odyssey has been explained above, the backlash related to Watch Dogs Legion began as the company removed Helen Lewis, a journalist's voice, from the game after there were accusations of transphobia. It raised questions about performative allyship. Even the lack of female leads, despite fan demand, getting sidelined in favor of the male counterparts just keeps adding fuel to the entire controversies against Ubisoft. The truth, as per many experts, is that there's a false assumption that male protagonists appeal much more to the players. It's even been argued by Anita Sarkeesian, a critic, that if we accept to heal hot dogs and ancient aliens, why not the female soldiers? But the answers to these questions have been found nowhere. How many more sexism cases remain hidden in Ubisoft? While the current incidents, including one from 2020, where five former employees of Ubisoft got arrested after allegations of systemic abuse surfaced, there are many who fear that they are just the tip of the iceberg. With the history of Ubisoft to downplay complaints, it is unclear how many victims have chosen to stay silent because of the fear of retaliation. The game industry overall, even today, struggles with accountability. As noted during the trial by prosecutor Henri Oshalter, 'there are systemic sexism elements and abuse in the video game industry along with its subcultures.' The case was even called 'a turning point for the entire video game industry.' Will Ubisoft have a turning point now, or will it be more empty words? Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft's CEO, previously vowed "profound changes," but the skepticism still continues to remain. With past promises, including mandatory anti-harassment training, seem to have done little for dismantling entrenched sexism, experts, including insiders, doubt if still there would be any solid impact. Despite what's been said and done, the truth is, until Ubisoft is ready for taking some concrete action, like elevating the women to the leadership roles, using transparent routes when addressing past failures and enforcing the zero-tolerance policies, Ubisoft's legacy of action would continue to be unchecked. For now, the only question that lingers is, Will Ubisoft finally bring change, or would it be a cautionary tale of corporate indifference? Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
The Guardian
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Three Ubisoft chiefs found guilty of enabling culture of sexual harassment
Three former executives at the video game company Ubisoft have been given suspended prison sentences for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment in the workplace at the end of the first big trial to stem from the #MeToo movement in the gaming industry. The court in Bobigny, north of Paris, had heard how the former executives used their position to bully or sexually harass staff, leaving women terrified and feeling like pieces of meat. Former staff had said that between 2012 and 2020, the company's offices in Montreuil, east of Paris, were run with a toxic culture of bullying and sexism that one worker likened to a 'boys' club above the law'. Ubisoft is a French family business that rose to become one of the biggest video game creators in the world. The company has been behind several blockbusters including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry and the children's favourite Just Dance. The state prosecutor, Antoine Haushalter, had told the court the world of video games and its subculture had an element of 'systemic' sexism and potential abuse and called the trial a 'turning point' for the gaming world. Thomas François, 52, a former Ubisoft editorial vice-president, was found guilty of sexual harassment, psychological harassment and an attempted sexual assault. He was given a three-year suspended prison sentence and fined €30,000 (£26,000). The court heard how he once tied a female member of staff to a chair with tape, pushed the chair into a lift and pressed a button at random. He was also accused of forcing one woman wearing a skirt to do handstands. She told the court: 'He was my superior and I was afraid of him. He made me do handstands. I did it to get it over with and get rid of him.' At a 2015 office Christmas party with a Back to the Future theme, François allegedly told a member of staff that he liked her 1950s dress. He then allegedly stepped towards her to kiss her on the mouth as his colleagues restrained her by the arms and back. She shouted and broke free. François had told the court there was a 'culture of joking around'. He said: 'I never tried to harm anyone.' Serge Hascoët, 59, Ubisoft's former chief creative officer and second-in-command, was found guilty of psychological harassment and complicity in sexual harassment. He was acquitted of sexual harassment and complicity in psychological harassment. He was given an 18-month suspended sentence and a fine of €45,000. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion The court heard he once handed a young female member of staff a tissue in which he had blown his nose, saying: 'You can resell it, it's worth gold at Ubisoft.' The court heard that Hascoët bullied assistants by making them carry out personal tasks for him such as going to his home to wait for parcel deliveries. Hascoët had told the court he was unaware of any harassment, saying: 'I have never wanted to harass anyone and I don't think I have.' Hascoët's lawyer, Jean-Guillaume Le Mintier, said his client was considering an appeal. The former Ubisoft game director, Guillaume Patrux, 41, was found guilty of psychological harassment and given a 12-month suspended sentence and a fine of €10,000. The court heard he had punched walls, mimed hitting staff, cracked a whip near colleagues' faces, threatened to carry out an office shooting and played with a cigarette lighter near workers' faces, setting alight a man's beard. He had denied the charges.
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.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ubisoft sexual harassment trial: Up to three years suspended prison sentences requested
The trial of three former top executives from French video game giant Ubisoft – the maker of games like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry - took place this week in Bobigny, France. Serge Hascoët, Thomas François and Guillaume Patrux appeared before the Bobigny criminal court on charges of psychological abuse, sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault. The prosecutor called for suspended prison sentences of up to three years and fines for all three, describing the accusations as 'extremely serious'. The public prosecutor's office requested an 18-month suspended prison sentence and a €45,000 fine against the company's former No. 2, Serge Hascoët; one year's imprisonment and a €10,000 fine against game designer Guillaume Patrux; and a suspended sentence of three years in prison as well as a €30,000 fine against the former vice-president of the editorial department, Thomas François. The verdict is expected on 2 July. The trial, seen as a landmark #MeToo moment in the male-dominated video game publishing industry, followed the publication of an in-depth investigation by Libération and Numerama in 2020. It highlighted working conditions plagued by harassment, humiliation and discriminatory comments, as well as the psychological, sexist and sexual harassment that had been going on at Ubisoft for around ten years. The testimonies that poured in painted a damning picture of what went on behind the walls of the Ubisoft studios. When François was questioned about a sexual assault that a former colleague had accused him of committing, and for which she had testified on the stand the previous day, he replied that he had 'no recollection.' The three defendants pleaded amnesia and their denial was roundly rebutted by the civil parties' lawyers. According to them, the trial was really about the 'extremely virile and childish culture' at Ubisoft, the French flagship of an 'industry built by men and for men.' The civil parties and the defence also deplored the fact that no proceedings have been brought against the legal entity Ubisoft, its CEO Yves Guillemot and Marie Derain, the head of human resources. 'This trial could have been exemplary,' according to Marc Rutschlé, union delegate at Solidaires Informatique. He told L'Humanité: 'It wasn't three isolated individuals who created this atmosphere of widespread harassment. Their impunity was organised. There are no defendants and many victims. The whole structural aspect has been evacuated.' Previously, Guillemot allegedly referred to some of the accusations as 'generational differences of opinion' and 'creative friction'.
Euronews
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Landmark French #MeToo trial for gaming giant Ubisoft comes to an end
The trial of three former top executives from French video game giant Ubisoft – the maker of games like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry - took place this week in Bobigny, France. Serge Hascoët, Thomas François and Guillaume Patrux appeared before the Bobigny criminal court on charges of psychological abuse, sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault. The prosecutor called for suspended prison sentences of up to three years and fines for all three, describing the accusations as 'extremely serious'. The public prosecutor's office requested an 18-month suspended prison sentence and a €45,000 fine against the company's former No. 2, Serge Hascoët; one year's imprisonment and a €10,000 fine against game designer Guillaume Patrux; and a suspended sentence of three years in prison as well as a €30,000 fine against the former vice-president of the editorial department, Thomas François. The verdict is expected on 2 July. The trial, seen as a landmark #MeToo moment in the male-dominated video game publishing industry, followed the publication of an in-depth investigation by Libération and Numerama in 2020. It highlighted working conditions plagued by harassment, humiliation and discriminatory comments, as well as the psychological, sexist and sexual harassment that had been going on at Ubisoft for around ten years. The testimonies that poured in painted a damning picture of what went on behind the walls of the Ubisoft studios. When François was questioned about a sexual assault that a former colleague had accused him of committing, and for which she had testified on the stand the previous day, he replied that he had 'no recollection.' The three defendants pleaded amnesia and their denial was roundly rebutted by the civil parties' lawyers. According to them, the trial was really about the 'extremely virile and childish culture' at Ubisoft, the French flagship of an 'industry built by men and for men.' The civil parties and the defence also deplored the fact that no proceedings have been brought against the legal entity Ubisoft, its CEO Yves Guillemot and Marie Derain, the head of human resources. 'This trial could have been exemplary,' according to Marc Rutschlé, union delegate at Solidaires Informatique. He told L'Humanité: 'It wasn't three isolated individuals who created this atmosphere of widespread harassment. Their impunity was organised. There are no defendants and many victims. The whole structural aspect has been evacuated.' Previously, Guillemot allegedly referred to some of the accusations as 'generational differences of opinion' and 'creative friction'. Lost for over 150 years, one of JMW Turner's earliest oil paintings is about to go on display at London's Sotheby's before being auctioned. Titled 'The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent's Rock, Bristol', it depicts a dramatic stormy scene engulfing Hot Wells House in Bristol, UK - as seen from the east bank of the River Avon, where the Clifton Suspension Bridge now sits. Painted by Turner when he was just 17 years old, it is now believed to be the artist's earliest exhibited oil painting, having been displayed at the Royal Academy exhibition in 1793. Its last public appearance was in 1858, at an exhibition in Tasmania, before disappearing into private collections for over a century and a half. Upon being rediscovered last year, Turner's signature was revealed during the restoration process. 'Its reemergence now allows viewers and scholars alike to appreciate the startling ambition of this great artist at such an early moment in his career, by which stage he is already demonstrating a level of confidence and competency in oil painting far beyond what was previously known,' a press release states. The painting will go on public display at Sotheby's in London from 28 June to 1 July 2025, ahead of being auctioned for an estimated value of £200,000-300,000 (approx. €237,544 to €356,316). The auction also coincides with the 250th anniversary of Turner's birth, as various exhibitions and events across the UK - including London's Tate, National Gallery and the Turner Contemporary - celebrate the artist's legacy. Considered one of the world's most influential 18th-century artists, Turner was a key figure within Romanticism and best known for his dramatic landscapes, ambient with bold colour and tumultuous skies. While 'The Rising Squall' had previously been referenced in obituaries, it was mistaken as a watercolour and therefore excluded from the first catalogue of Turner's exhibited oil paintings. Based on a drawing from the artist's earliest sketchbook and a watercolour, both of which are currently held at the Tate Britain, the artwork is believed to have been first acquired by, and possibly painted for, Reverend Robert Nixon - a friend and early supporter of Turner's. Before now, experts considered Turner's earliest exhibited oil painting to be the 'Fisherman at Sea', displayed at the Royal Academy in 1796.
