Accord to a 2019 study from the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, the gaming industry contributes $4.5 billion to Canada's GDP annually. In a meeting at Ubisoft’s headquarters in Paris, one of the top creative leads on a big game was presenting to Hascoët and other decision-makers at the company. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. The Montreal studio saw one of the first high-profile resignations to come from these allegations, as Assassin's Creed Valhalla creative director Ashraf Ismail quit his role following claims he had affairs with multiple women. Last year, Ubisoft Toronto and the Ubisoft Paris Studio launched… Ubisoft Entrepreneurs at Indie Arena Booth Online 2020. “I received a thank-you card from HR,” Stewart says. Jason Schreier, who has been investigating harassment at Ubisoft for Bloomberg, described Hascoët's position at Ubisoft as being perceived to be "untouchable", making this resignation a huge shakeup of the status quo. The former employee told the Star that due to the size of the company, and the fact that most people work in small teams, some people have a great experience there. She was contacted by several other women who claimed to have had a similar relationship with him — even during the time they were together, she said. You may opt-out by. “So (my story) has caused quite a change, because everything was publicized.”. “These bad actors were allowed to exist in this system. It is also claimed that Francois was actually moved away from the Paris studio as a result of alleged predatory behaviour. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Hascoët would frequently tell developers to strive for experiences that were systemic, employees say. “Ubisoft has fallen short in its obligation to guarantee a safe and inclusive workplace environment for its employees,” Guillemot said in a statement on July 12 in Paris announcing the executive departures. A spokesperson for Ubisoft declined to comment or arrange interviews for this story. For instance, allegations of abuse by Ubisoft Toronto employee Andrien Gbinigie were passed on to HR by two separate people, however it allegedly decided not to investigate them any further. Ubisoft Brand Marketing Manager Andrien Gbinigie has been accused of … But because powerful employees like Béland never saw consequences, these stories were just passed around like dark jokes, the former employee said. As head of creative, he oversaw the development of blockbuster franchises including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Watch Dogs. Game developer Ubisoft sees executive shake-up, begins process to deal with harassment Click to return to homepage. Development of 2018’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey went much the same way. The accounts emerging from Ubisoft are part of a larger moment in the gaming community. In a story from Kotaku, Ethan Gach reports that employees of Ubisoft Toronto are speaking up to leadership “with grave concerns about ongoing reported harassment and an inability to feel safe … “You complain about something, it just gets swept under the rug,” Vercuiel says. Hascoët was one of the single most powerful people at Ubisoft, with him being the final decision on what games were produced and which ones were cancelled. More than a dozen people made public claims of sexual harassment and abuse against employees of Ubisoft over the past few weeks. Could the turmoil at Ubisoft finally lead to the systemic change that advocates have long been calling for? Several other news sites have repeated these allegations. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution On July 10 the French newspaper Libération reported that Hascoët had allegedly made sexually explicit comments to staff, pushed subordinates to drink excessively, and gave colleagues cakes containing marijuana without their knowledge. We have to reevaluate this system. “There’s this narrow group of white straight men who think that gaming belongs to them, and often I think companies feel beholden to them and view them as the market,” she said. Update (June 27, 2020, 12:20PM BST): Two high-ranking Ubisoft executives have been placed on administrative leave, according to Bloomberg. The story about Béland allegedly choking a woman at a party was common knowledge, as were other such stories, according to a former Ubisoft employee who worked at the Montreal studio, who asked to remain anonymous as they still work in the industry. A scandal at the family-run video game company has disrupted the Guillemots’ inner circle and incited calls for more drastic changes. Others at Ubisoft have also been accused of abusing their positions of power. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Beyond the allegation against the Assassin's Creed creative director, Ashraf Ismail, other Ubisoft employees have been accused of harassment, abuse and even assault. I've always been interested by the capabilities of virtual reality (Tron is my favourite sci-fi film), but seeing it take off in the last few years has really gotten me exited. My motive was not to get him fired; I just didn’t want him to be able to lie to or otherwise deceive anyone else.". Ubisoft moved quickly in late June to place the executives on administrative leave, along with several other employees publicly accused of wrongdoing. Montreal HR firm Relais Expert Conseil is heading an independent investigation open to current and former Ubisoft employees. The image of Ubisoft as a family business was a source of inspiration for many employees over the years. He personally produced the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time series before going on to manage big brands including Assassin’s Creed; Rainbow Six; Far Cry; Watch Dogs; and For Honor. French newspaper Libération reported allegations that François tried to coerce a woman into kissing him, again at a party. Ubisoft’s biggest franchise is Assassin’s Creed, a series of open-world action-adventure games in which players explore historic settings and sneak around killing people. Ubisoft Toronto vient d'être distingué pour 2018 et pour la troisième année consécutive comme l’une des 100 meilleures entreprises canadiennes où il fait bon travailler.
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