Ubisoft trial witnesses testify to “being tied to a chair, forced to do handstands, and subjected to constant comments about sex”

Ubisoft developers have told a French court that former execs Serge Hascoet, Tommy Francois, and Guillaume Patrux allegedly perpetuated a “systemic” culture of sexism and abuse.

Former chief creative officer Serge Hascoët and ex-VP of editorial and creative services Tommy François both left the publisher in summer 2020, following allegations of widespread abuse, harassment, and discrimination within Ubisoft, including claims against the two executives. Former director Guillaume Patrux has similarly been accused of harassment and bullying. In all, five former executives from Ubisoft were arrested by French police in 2023 following a year-long investigation into sexual assault and harassment within the company. All three defendants deny the charges.

As reported by The Guardian, the trial, which began at the beginning of this month, has heard witnesses tell of feeling “terrified” and “like pieces of meat,” with state prosecutor Antoine Haushalter reporting “overwhelming” evidence of harassment.

“In four days of hearings, female former staff members variously described being tied to a chair, forced to do handstands, subjected to constant comments about sex and their bodies, having to endure sexist and homophobic jokes, drawings of penises being stuck to computers, a manager who farted in workers’ faces or scribbled on women with marker pens, gave unsolicited shoulder massages, played pornographic films in an open-plan office, and another executive who cracked a whip near people’s heads,” The Guardian reports.

Likening the culture to a “boys club” between 2010 and 2020, one alleged victim told the court: “The sexual remarks and sexual jokes were almost daily.”

A woman who worked for François alleged the former VP made her do handstand wearing a skirt.

“He was my superior and I was afraid of him,” she said. “He made me do handstands. I did it to get it over with and get rid of him.”

He is also accused of kissing a member of staff on the lips without consent at a Christmas party as his colleagues “restrained her by the arms and back,” while a different witness said that during a US trip, he “grabbed [her] by the hair and kissed [her] by force.” No one present reacted or stopped him, and when she reported him to HR on her return, she was told “don’t make a big thing of it.” She later had to refute rumors she’d been caught “snogging” François “even though he knew it had been an assault.”

The woman reports these incidents made her feel “stupefied, humiliated and professionally discredited.” François denies all charges, claims there was a “culture of joking around” at the studio, and insists: “I never tried to harm anyone.”

Hascoët is similarly accused of sexual harassment and bullying. He reportedly told colleagues at an away day that one of the senior female colleagues did not have enough sex, and said he would “show how to calm her” by having sex with her in the next room. He’s also alleged to have talked abut sex at the office, bullied his assistants, and made them undertake personal tasks during the working day, such as picking up parcels. The former exec denies all charges, saying: “I have never wanted to harass anyone and I don’t think I have.”

Patrux, also accused of sexual harassment and bullying, allegedly punched walls, mimed punching staff, “played with a cigarette lighter near workers’ faces, setting alight a man’s beard,” and “threatened to carry out an office shooting.” He also reportedly cracked a whip in the faces of his colleagues.

After four days of hearings, the judges have retired to consider the evidence and reach a verdict. All three men deny the charges.