Yet another Ubisoft executive has left the company after several employees accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct.
Tommy François, who served as Ubisoft’s vice president of editorial and creative services, left the company last week, Business Insider confirmed, after obtaining an internal email from Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. Although Guillemot didn’t comment on the reasons for François’ departure, it came just a week after Business Insider recounted reports from both current and former Ubisoft employees, who said the executive would comment on female colleagues’ appearances and inappropriately massaged co-workers. He also discussed masturbating during a 2016 business trip to Montreal, the employees told Business Insider.
François oversaw the creative direction for a variety of studio franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs, and Far Cry. It’s unclear who has taken over the critical position François held, and the company did not immediately respond to a Digital Trends request for comment on his departure and ultimate replacement.
François is just the latest in a string of Ubisoft executives to leave the company following claims of widespread sexual harassment and abuse at the studio. Last month, Ubisoft chief creative officer Serge Hascoet resigned following sexual harassment allegations, along with Ubisoft Canadian studios chief Yannis Mallat, human resources head Cécile Cornet, and others. François worked closely with Hascoet, who reportedly had the final say on whether games would move forward or not.
Guillemot said after reports surfaced last month that the company was “really sorry” to those who came forward and shared their stories. He promised to “change Ubisoft for the better” and said the studio had hired global consulting firm Accenture to launch an investigation into how widespread the issues are. The results from that investigation are due in late September.
In other statements, Guillemot has also promised to overhaul the creative division Hascoet and François oversaw and acknowledged that the company had “fallen short in its obligation to guarantee a safe and inclusive workplace environment for its employees.”
Looking ahead, Ubisoft plans to build “an environment that its employees, partners, and communities can be proud of — one that reflects Ubisoft’s values and that is safe for everyone,” Guillemot said.
Related Posts
Your charging cable might get a workout if you try ‘Charchery’
The concept is as simple as it is destructive: you plug your charger into the phone to nock an arrow, and you physically yank it out to fire. It is undeniably clever, bizarre, and almost certainly a terrible idea for the longevity of your hardware.
Your Fable reboot preview is here, open world Albion looks gloriously chaotic
The hook is familiar, your choices matter, people notice, and consequences linger. The difference is scale. This is a fully open world take, with townsfolk on routines who respond to what you do, even when you think no one’s watching. It’s still chasing that mix of heroics, petty crime, and dry British humor, only with modern action RPG muscle.
Nintendo’s latest product wants to cheer you up with random quips
Nintendo first teased the Talking Flower during a Nintendo Direct showcase last September. The company has now shared more details about the product, and confirmed when it will officially go on sale. Based on the flowers in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game, the Talking Flower is exactly what its name suggests: a potted flower that speaks around twice per hour, delivering lines like "Sometimes it's nice to space out" or "Bowser and his buds can't get us here, right?"