The affair erupted on social networks in early summer 2020: several women brought charges of harassment against Ubisoft executives, French number one video game. In the process, the press quickly seized on these denunciations by itself collecting a series of testimonies. It will now be up to the Bobigny court to rule: the Solidaires Informatique union filed a complaint against the Ubisoft group on July 15 for institutional sexual harassment, to which are added individual complaints against several executives.
The accusations specifically target Serge Hascoët, the former creative director of Ubisoft, considered the number two of the group at the time, and Tommy François, one of his closest collaborators. These two people are no longer part of Ubisoft: following a series of internal investigations, they were forced to resign or fired, according to the press release from Solidaires Informatique.
Some targets remain in office
Cécile Cornet, the director of human resources implicated by multiple testimonies and herself the subject of the complaint for having “Let the harassment flourish”, would have finally left the company in April 2021, according to a spokesperson for Solidaires Informatique contacted by The world. Ubisoft did not immediately confirm or deny this information.
Also targeted are the former assistant of Serge Hascoët as well as various members of human resources, some of whom remain in office in the company, according to Marc Rutschle, section manager of the union at Ubisoft. After the July 2020 purge, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said: ” It’s not acceptable. All toxic behavior is in total opposition to the values with which I have never compromised and with which I will not compromise. ” Yves Guillemot is not spared by the complaint, however, on the grounds that he is “Responsible for what happens within the company”.
“Fear of being seen as troublemakers”
The plaintiffs are two women alleged victims of harassment, as well as the Solidaires Informatique union, which is a civil party. “Other people have considered joining the complaint, adds Marc Rutschle, but they changed their mind when we taught them that they could not remain anonymous. Some are still working at Ubisoft, others work elsewhere in the video game industry. It’s a small world, they are afraid of being seen as troublemakers. “
Union says there is still time for more people to join this collective legal action. Contacted by The world, Ubisoft has highlighted the efforts made over the past year to facilitate reporting of abusive behavior and feminize its management.