Three former Ubisoft executives have been convicted and given suspended sentences following allegations of sexual misconduct, racial discrimination, and abusive workplace behavior.
Serge Hascoët, Ubisoft's former chief creative officer and second-in-command, alongside former editorial director Thomas François and ex-game designer Guillame Patrux, exited the company in 2020 amid multiple misconduct claims that resulted in their departures through both resignations and terminations.
Court documents revealed disturbing allegations, including Hascoët making racially insensitive remarks to a Muslim employee after the 2015 Paris attacks, along with claims of repeated racial harassment under his leadership. Female staff members additionally reported inappropriate conduct from the former executive.
Reports indicate Hascoët allegedly enabled a toxic workplace culture that empowered François's misconduct, with testimonies describing humiliating treatment of staff – including demanding an assistant travel hours on their day off merely to retrieve an iPad.
François faced charges including workplace pornography consumption, inappropriate physical contact, and sexual harassment. One particularly egregious incident allegedly occurred at a company holiday party where he reportedly assaulted a junior employee. Additional accounts describe degrading acts such as tying up coworkers and forcing personal grooming tasks.
Patrux stood accused of bullying behavior and physical intimidation toward colleagues.
The court imposed an 18-month suspended sentence and €45,000 fine on Hascoët for enabling psychological harassment. François received three years probation plus €30,000 for attempted sexual assault, while Patrux was sentenced to 12 months probation and fined €10,000.
Ubisoft provided no statement when IGN requested comment.
