UBISOFT EXECUTIVES SENTENCED FOR WORKPLACE HARASSMENT AMID CONTINUING LABOR UNREST IN FRANCE
A French court has sentenced three former Ubisoft executives for workplace harassment in a landmark case that has shaken the video game industry and exposed deep cultural problems within one of France’s most prominent entertainment companies. The verdict, delivered in July 2025, comes amid continuing labor unrest across France and growing demands for corporate accountability.
The Bobigny criminal court convicted the executives on charges of sexual harassment, psychological harassment, and enabling a toxic workplace culture between 2012 and 2020. Thomas François, former Vice-President of Editorial and Creative Services, received a three-year suspended prison sentence and a €30,000 fine. He was found guilty of multiple incidents, including unwanted sexual advances and humiliating behavior toward female employees. Serge Hascoët, the company’s former Chief Creative Officer, was sentenced to 18 months suspended and fined €45,000 for fostering what prosecutors described as “a climate of fear and degradation,” including racist jokes and demeaning treatment of staff. Guillaume Patrux, a former Game Director, was given a 12-month suspended sentence and a €10,000 fine for intimidation and aggressive conduct toward colleagues.
The trial included testimony from dozens of current and former employees, who described Ubisoft’s headquarters in Montreuil as a “boys’ club” where harassment was normalized and complaints were ignored. Witnesses recounted instances of women being subjected to sexually explicit jokes, public humiliation, and coercive behavior during company events. Several employees testified that attempts to report misconduct were met with retaliation or silence, underscoring systemic failures in Ubisoft’s HR and leadership structures.
The case follows years of scrutiny triggered by a wave of allegations in 2020, which forced several executives, including Hascoët and François, to resign. A subsequent internal survey revealed that one in four Ubisoft employees had witnessed or experienced harassment or discrimination, prompting global reforms but also criticism that accountability at the top levels was lacking. The court’s ruling is the first time high-ranking figures in the company have been held criminally responsible.
Ubisoft itself was not on trial in this case, but French labor unions, including Solidaires Informatique, have filed separate complaints accusing the company of “institutional sexual harassment.” Union leaders welcomed the verdict as “a first step” but argued that CEO Yves Guillemot and other executives must answer for enabling systemic abuse. Workers have staged repeated protests and strikes over the past year, demanding stronger protections, transparency, and cultural change within the company.
The sentencing also comes at a tense moment for labor relations in France, with nationwide strikes and demonstrations over workplace rights, gender equality, and corporate governance. Legal analysts note that the Ubisoft case could set a precedent for holding executives in creative industries personally liable for fostering hostile environments.
Public reaction has been mixed. Advocacy groups hailed the ruling as a breakthrough for the #MeToo movement in gaming, while some criticized the suspended sentences as too lenient given the gravity of the accusations. The court defended the decision, emphasizing rehabilitation and the symbolic weight of criminal convictions at the executive level.
For Ubisoft, the verdict underscores a painful chapter and a challenge to rebuild trust with employees and players alike. The company has pledged to implement stricter policies, independent investigations, and mandatory training. Whether those reforms will lead to genuine cultural change remains to be seen, but the case has already sent a clear message: systemic workplace harassment will no longer be tolerated without consequence.