Jakarta, Gizmologi – Game giant Ubisoft appears to be going through a difficult time lately. Despite the success of the Assassin's Creed Shadow series, which sold 2,4 million copies, social media attacks on the game have created a negative stigma. Now, the troubles have only worsened after a court in Paris, France, found former employees guilty of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Thomas François, former Editorial Vice President at Ubisoft must face the reality of his guilt. He, along with Serge Hascoet, the former Chief Creative Officer, and Guillaume Patrux, the former Game Director, were accused of psychological abuse and bullying of company employees. The victims were female employees who worked with them between 2012 and 2020 at the Montreuil office in eastern Paris.
The trial, held in Bobigony, north of Paris, heard testimony that the suspects exploited their positions to bully staff. Their actions are believed to have left the female victims feeling fearful and worthless.
François received a three-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of €30,000. His two co-defendants received different sentences: Hascoet received 18 months' suspended prison sentence and a fine of €45,000, and Patrux received 12 months' suspended prison sentence and a fine of €10,000.
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Ubisoft Executives Call It a Joke with Employees
What happened between a former Ubisoft executive and his employees could be considered toxic workplace behavior. This kind of behavior is often discussed on social media when a coworker is found to be unsupportive of another. The impact can affect the physical and psychological well-being of the victim.
One of the victims, quoted from theguardian.com, said, "He was so superior, and I was afraid of him. He made me do a handstand. I did it to get it over with quickly and make him leave." The victim's actions occurred after experiencing workplace bullying.
Ironically, François, who held a high position at Ubisoft, considered his behavior part of a joking culture. In court documents, he claimed he was simply joking with coworkers. "I never wanted to hurt anyone," he said.
Meanwhile, Prosecutor Antoine Haushalter stated in court that the video game industry and its subcultures harbor elements of systemic sexism, including possible bullying and hazing, which are considered a "turning point" in the gaming world.
In response to the incident at the company, Ubisoft is taking steps to improve its operations. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot acknowledged the need for structural changes to the company's culture. He appointed Lidwine Sauer as Head of Workplace Culture to lead the initiative. reform internal.
Cases of toxic and sexist workplaces aren't unique to Ubisoft. Several other companies in the gaming industry have been implicated in similar issues, including Activision Blizzar with its "frat boy" culture, Riot Games with its "bro culture," Rocksteady Studios, and several other game studios.
It's true that not all game studios or companies have negative experiences. However, such issues still require serious attention, not only from within the company but from all parties involved. Offices, companies, or workplaces should foster a positive culture to encourage employee continuous development and improvement, which will have a positive impact on the workplace.
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