Three former Ubisoft executives found guilty of workplace harassment and misconduct by French court

Three former Ubisoft executives—Tommy François, Serge Hascoët, and Guillaume Patrux—have been found guilty of moral and sexual harassment, along with attempted sexual assault, by a French court.

The verdict comes five years after the infamous Ubisoft scandal broke in 2020, shaking the foundations of one of the world’s biggest video game publishers.

On July 2, the Bobigny criminal court handed down "suspended prison" sentences to the three former leaders, following a trial that began in early June. While none of them will serve jail time immediately, any future offense could see those sentences enforced.

Among the trio, Tommy François received the most serious punishment. The former Vice President of Editorial was sentenced to three years in prison with a suspended sentence and fined €30,000. As per Libération, François had been at the center of the original reports, accused of humiliating behavior, inappropriate jokes, and even physical misconduct. Witnesses described shocking incidents—including employees being humiliated or forced to carry out disturbing tasks, such as grooming his toenails while tied to a chair.

Serge Hascoët, who served as Ubisoft’s creative chief and was often seen as François’s protector, was sentenced to 18 months in prison with a suspended sentence and fined €45,000. While he avoided charges of sexual harassment, the court found him guilty of complicity in moral harassment. Essentially, he turned a blind eye to misconduct happening right under his nose—something many former employees had long accused him of.

Then there’s Guillaume Patrux, a former game director on Ubisoft’s VR team. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison with a suspended sentence and fined €10,000 for creating a hostile and intimidating work environment. His behavior reportedly made life miserable for the small team he worked with.

The trial brought back into focus the toxic "boys’ club" culture that had taken root at Ubisoft’s Montreuil headquarters. Reports from 2020 revealed a party-like atmosphere where harassment and inappropriate behavior were too often swept under the rug. Now, the court’s verdict confirms what many had been saying for years—this wasn’t just a few bad actors; it was a systemic issue.

Lawyer Maude Beckers, who represented many of the victims, emphasized the importance of the judgment. Speaking to Libération, she noted that the court acknowledged how the actions of François and Hascoët affected not just individuals, but the entire Editorial department. “This is the very definition of environmental sexual harassment,” she said, even though the court didn’t explicitly use that term.

What’s more, Beckers confirmed that a new legal case has been launched—this time targeting Ubisoft as a company, including CEO Yves Guillemot and the director of human resources. It’s a bold move, and while it may take years, she says her clients are prepared to keep pushing for accountability.

Meanwhile, union representative Chakib Mataoui of Solidaires Informatique said the verdict sends a strong message—not just to Ubisoft, but to the entire industry. “If you’re in a position of power and you allow this kind of behavior to continue, you’re just as responsible,” he told the press.