Former Ubisoft executives convicted in France

Ubisoft, a French video game company, has been dealing with a toxic company culture and multiple sexual harassment investigations for years. In 2023, five former executives were arrested on charges related to these investigations. A French court has now sentenced three of them to suspended sentences for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment. Thomas Francois, former editorial vice president, was convicted of attempted sexual assault and received a three-year suspended sentence. He was accused of perpetrating multiple sexual assaults at the workplace and engaging in egregious sexual harassment. Other executives, including Serge Hascoet and Guillaume Patrux, received shorter suspended sentences and fines of up to $35,000. The convictions come after anonymous reports of a toxic work culture at Ubisoft surfaced online, prompting an internal investigation. The attorney for the plaintiffs, Maude Beckers, hailed the convictions as a victory against workplace harassment. She emphasized that the decision holds managers accountable for toxic behavior and sends a message to employers that they can no longer ignore such issues. The convictions mark a significant step in addressing the toxic culture that has plagued Ubisoft for years.