The Bobigny Penal Court in France has convicted three former Ubisoft executives on harassment charges, many of which were sexual in nature. The individuals convicted are Serge Hascoet, former editorial director and a central figure within the company; Tommy Francois, former editorial vice-president and Hascoet’s protégé; and Guillaume Patrux, director of the game AGOS: A Game of Space. These allegations, which first came to light in July 2020 following reports from the Libération newspaper, revealed abusive behaviors, particularly on the part of Tommy Francois. His actions included whistling at colleagues, ordering an employee to perform acrobatics publicly, displaying pornographic videos on company computers, attempting to force physical contact with a co-worker, and coercing an employee into doing a headstand while wearing a skirt. Tommy Francois received the harshest sentence: a three-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 30,000 euros for these offenses. During the trial, he attempted to defend himself by claiming his behavior reflected Ubisoft’s internal culture, an argument that failed to convince the court. Serge Hascoet, former right-hand man of CEO Yves Guillemot, was convicted for aiding and abetting moral harassment, receiving an 18-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 45,000 euros. The sexual harassment charge against him was not upheld due to insufficient evidence. Guillaume Patrux received a twelve-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 10,000 euros for harassing his team. Prosecutors had requested a 15-month sentence for Patrux, but the court opted for a lighter penalty.
Hascoet, one of Ubisoft’s longest-serving employees and chief creative director from 2000 to 2020, significantly influenced key franchises like Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed. He was accused of indecent behavior and making racist remarks. The accusations cited instances such as allegedly asking a Muslim employee if she supported ISIS, replacing her desktop PC background with photos of bacon sandwiches during Ramadan, and having food placed on her desk. To date, unions like Solidaires Informatique have not issued official statements regarding the verdict. However, in June 2025, the union announced its intention to issue a direct citation against CEO Yves Guillemot, HR Director Marie Derain, and Ubisoft as a legal entity, seeking to hold them accountable for the systemic nature of harassment within the company. According to the union, these revealed practices point to a corporate culture that often trivialized abuses, particularly those against women and minorities.
The convicted individuals have not yet indicated whether they plan to appeal the decision. It’s important to note that Tommy Francois received an additional three-year suspended prison sentence for attempted sexual assault, in addition to his conviction for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment at Ubisoft. Among the damning allegations against Francois was forcing an employee to do a headstand while wearing a skirt. During the trial, Francois testified that he lacked perspective during the incidents, which occurred from 2012 to 2020, and believed he was treating people with respect at the time. Additionally, Francois would greet employees using inappropriate names, attempt to touch people’s genitals as part of a so-called game, and try to kiss male employees by surprise.