The French police have arrested 5 former managers of Ubisoft to question them in connection with a sexism scandal. This happens just before the release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. One of the accused is the former right-hand man of CEO Yves Guillemot: the Chief Creative Serge Hascoët. He is considered not only the inventor of the “Ubisoft formula” but also a key figure in a sexism scandal.
Where does the information come from? The info comes from the French Liberation, which reported about it this afternoon (via liberation). They are talking about the “Ubisoft affair.”
This is the news at a glance:
- The arrests for questioning 5 former employees of Ubisoft, including Hascoët and Tommy François, took place on October 3 and 4. The arrests come after police questioned over 50 current and former employees of Ubisoft over the past year. The suspects are in police custody.
- At the core is an “institutionalized system of sexual violence” – we reported on the allegations against Ubisoft in July 2020 on MeinMMO. As a result, Ubisoft parted ways with executives like Serge Hascoët, who is regarded as the inventor of the “Ubisoft formula.”
- The developments began in the summer of 2021 after a union and 2 victims filed lawsuits: Investigations were conducted by Parisian authorities in cases of moral and sexual harassment.
The new title from Ubisoft, the largest gaming studio in Europe, will launch in a few days:
Inventor of the Ubisoft formula accused and fired
What was the scandal about back then? US journalist and investigative reporter Jason Schreier reported in July 2020 about scandalous conditions at Ubisoft (via bloomberg).
The allegations focused on Serge Hascoët (58), who oversaw the development of new games at Ubisoft. He is said to have founded and led an inner leadership circle that acted like a boys’ club and behaved indecently, especially towards women.
Conditions similar to those of a fraternity house were said to have prevailed at the time. Hascoët was viewed as “untouchable” and the “golden child,” who could do anything. Schreier reported: Meetings took place in strip clubs, from which women were excluded, and there were pornographic materials on the managers’ computers.
Women were systematically sidelined and discriminated against. When they complained to HR, they reportedly received no assistance.
“Like a playground for boys, where women are pushed to the ground”
This is what the parties say: There is no statement from the CEO of Ubisoft.
The company says that it has no knowledge of the matter and therefore cannot comment.
A lawyer for the plaintiffs is the only one speaking to the press: He says that such behavior has never occurred in his 22 years of professional experience. The police have investigated as thoroughly as never before. A behavior was established at Ubisoft that made it seem as if [sexism] was part of the creative process: It was like a big playground for boys where women were pushed against the wall or to the ground. HR knew all about this.
It should be particularly emphasized that the company worked in complicity with its executives here.
The reaction from Ubisoft in 2020 was supposed to trigger a restart:
CEO apologizes for sexism at Ubisoft, now wants to change several things
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