After years of investigations and delays, three former Ubisoft executives have finally been sentenced for workplace harassment and abuse in France.
Suspended prison sentences and fines have been issued to multiple former Ubisoft executives, following a lengthy investigation into allegations of workplace harassment, assault, and misconduct dating back to 2020. The court ruling marks a significant legal outcome for some of the company’s most prominent former leaders.
Serge Hascoët, Ubisoft’s former chief creative officer and once regarded as CEO Yves Guillemot’s closest ally, was found guilty of complicity in moral harassment. He received an 18-month suspended sentence and a €45,000 fine. Hascoët had been at the centre of allegations involving both degrading treatment of employees and racial harassment, including reported racist comments made to a Muslim staff member in the wake of the 2015 Paris attacks.
Testimonies also described an environment in which Hascoët enabled harmful behaviour by others in leadership, with reports of staff being overworked or treated inappropriately. One incident involved Hascoët instructing an assistant to undertake a lengthy return journey on their day off to retrieve an iPad.
Court delivers suspended sentences to former Ubisoft executives
Thomas François, a former head of editorial, received a three-year suspended sentence and a €30,000 fine. He was found guilty of attempted sexual assault, with allegations including unwanted advances at a company Christmas party and watching explicit content at work. François was also accused of inappropriate behaviour towards colleagues, such as unsolicited kissing, tying a staff member to a chair, and forcing another to trim his toenails.
Guillaume Patrux, formerly a game designer at Ubisoft, was sentenced to 12 months suspended and fined €10,000 for threatening and violent conduct in the workplace.
The three men departed Ubisoft in 2020 through a mix of resignations and dismissals, following widespread internal complaints. Their exit came during a broader reckoning in the games industry, where major studios faced calls for accountability over toxic workplace cultures.
This verdict concludes several years of legal proceedings and puts a spotlight on long-standing issues of abuse and misconduct within Ubisoft’s leadership during that period.
Timeline: Ubisoft misconduct allegations and legal proceedings (2020–2025)
2020–Allegations surface and resignations begin
- June, 2020–A wave of #MeToo stories emerged from women in the video game industry, including multiple allegations against Ubisoft staff. Bloomberg broke the story, prompting widespread attention.
- 25 June, 2020–Ubisoft publicly acknowledged the allegations in a statement, and announced an internal investigation supported by external consultants.
- Late June, 2020–According to Business Insider, CEO Yves Guillemot admitted the company had failed to protect its employees and promised structural reform.
- Mid-July, 2020–The Guardian reported the resignations of Serge Hascoët (CCO), Tommy François (VP), and Maxime Béland (studio head).
- August, 2020–Ubisoft officially dismissed François after further investigation (The Verge).
2021–Formal complaints filed by union and ex-staff
- July, 2021–Labour union Solidaires Informatique and two ex-employees filed a criminal complaint in France, accusing Ubisoft of “institutional sexual harassment.” The complaint named Hascoët, François, HR leads, and CEO Guillemot.
2022–Ongoing investigations and cultural scrutiny
- French authorities and labour inspectors continued to gather testimony. Over 50 witnesses were eventually interviewed across 2021–2022 (Le Monde).
2023–Arrests made after police inquiry
- October, 2023–French police detained five former Ubisoft executives, including Hascoët and François, after years of investigation tied to the 2021 complaint (WIRED).
- Le Monde confirmed the investigation included interviews with dozens of former and current Ubisoft employees.
2024–Trial preparation and legal delays
- January, 2024–Bloomberg reported the case would be heard in Bobigny criminal court. Charges included harassment, intimidation, and attempted sexual assault.
2025–Trial and verdict
- March, 2025–Trial was initially set for March 2025, but defence teams requested a delay due to late document submissions (Euronews). Trial was pushed back to June.
- 2 June, 2025–Proceedings officially began in Bobigny court. Prosecutors described a “systemic” pattern of workplace abuse.
- 2 July, 2025–Serge Hascoët, Tommy François, and Guillaume Patrux were found guilty. All three received suspended prison sentences and fines for charges ranging from moral harassment to attempted sexual assault.
