In the court proceedings for the ex-Ubisoft leaders accused of harassment, the second-in-command who believed the company's leadership was controlled by others, stands trial.
In a packed courtroom in Bobigny on June 3, 2025, Serge Hascoët, the one-time boss of Ubisoft, a video game publishing juggernaut, pleaded ignorance. He claimed no knowledge of the rampant sexist, racist, homophobic behavior that had allegedly become the norm at the company. As a high-ranking executive, he insisted he had no say in these matters. "Everyone says I knew, but I didn't," he stated, adding that if he had known it was his responsibility to act, he would have.
The trial is a landmark event, with Hascoet, along with Thomas François (known as "Tommy") and Guillaume Patru, facing charges of moral and sexual harassment, as well as complicity in such actions. The trial started on June 2 and is scheduled to wrap up by the end of the same week.
For over seven hours, Hascoët tried to defend himself by portraying himself as a passionate, if somewhat peculiar, expert—a far cry from the number two executive who should have been actively addressing such issues. He claimed he thought the 'management stories' were the responsibility of others. "It's a misunderstanding," he stuttered. Hascoët further explained that he had no idea that making sure those subjected to inappropriate behavior were protected was his responsibility.
The trial spotlights the systemic issues within Ubisoft, with claims that the company's culture fostered such behaviors. Employees allegedly faced public humiliation and hazing, and the court is examining whether these executives were aware of or contributed to this environment.
Hascoët, like the other defendants, maintains his innocence. However, the trial also raises concerns about the broader systemic problems within Ubisoft, with some critics arguing that this environment allowed harassers to remain in power, silencing their victims in the process.
Ubisoft, though not a party to the trial, has faced criticism for its past handling of these issues. In 2020, the company launched an internal inquiry following anonymous testimonies about a toxic work culture, which resulted in several senior executives, including Hascoët, leaving the company. Despite these changes, some employees have expressed disappointment that Ubisoft as a company is not being held accountable in this trial.
- Given the trial's focus on moral and sexual harassment within Ubisoft, connections between the company's culture and the incidents are being scrutinized, with some general-news outlets reporting that the court is examining whether top executives like Serge Hascoët, Thomas François, and Guillaume Patru were aware of or contributed to this environment.
- Amidst the allegations of systemic issues at Ubisoft, which include public humiliation, hazing, and rampant sexist, racist, homophobic behavior, critics in the realm of crime-and-justice and political discourse argue that the trial highlights the need for addressing broader systemic problems, as this environment may have allowed harassers to remain in positions of power, silencing their victims in the process.
