French gaming giant Ubisoft has been embroiled in workplace sexual harassment and bullying allegations in recent years. Now, three former high-ranking executives—Thomas François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux—have been convicted by a French court on charges of sexual harassment and moral harassment. While all three received suspended sentences, the verdict is seen as a significant judicial response to years of mounting scandal.
According to foreign media reports, Thomas François, a former Ubisoft editorial vice president, was accused of tying a female employee to an office chair and pushing her into an elevator, and forcing another female employee wearing a miniskirt to do a handstand—actions described as appalling. He ultimately received a three-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay a 30,000 Euro fine. Furthermore, at a company Christmas party in 2015, he allegedly attempted to forcibly kiss a female colleague, later claiming it was merely part of the "company's joke culture."
Former Creative Director Serge Hascoët was found guilty of both psychological and sexual harassment, receiving an 18-month suspended sentence and a 45,000 Euro fine. He was accused of making his assistant run personal errands and even handing a used tissue to a female subordinate, reportedly stating it was "worth a lot at Ubisoft." Hascoët reportedly told the judge that he had never intended to harass anyone and did not believe he had committed such acts.
Guillaume Patrux, another former game director convicted, was found guilty of psychological harassment and received a 12-month suspended sentence along with a 10,000 Euro fine. He was previously accused of extreme behaviors, including drawing Nazi symbols, throwing objects, cracking a whip near colleagues' faces, and even setting his beard on fire.
All three men denied the allegations. However, for years, Ubisoft's internal environment has been described as rife with a "boys' club culture," with numerous employees filing complaints of harassment and misconduct that went unaddressed. With judicial intervention finally taking place, victims now see a glimmer of hope, and this verdict serves as another wake-up call for major gaming companies to reform their workplace cultures.
via： TheGamer