Ubisoft VP Tommy François is no longer at the company amid abuse allegations

Update: According to Business Insider, "sources with knowledge of the matter" claim that Tommy François was fired following an investigation. While Ubisoft has confirmed that François is no longer with the company, the nature of his departure has not been stated by the company.

Original story: Tommy François, Ubisoft's vice president of editorial & creative services and one of several employees accused of harassment and abuse, has left the publisher.

Business Insider read an email from CEO Yves Guillemot informing staff that François had left Ubisoft after being on administrative leave for a month, which Ubisoft has since confirmed. The email didn't go into any detail and Ubisoft has not provided any more information about his exit.

François' departure follows several other executives stepping down, including vice president of editorial Maxime Béland, heads of human resources Cécile Cornet and chief creative officer Serge Hascoët. The latter was said to have wielded a great deal of influence across all of Ubisoft's games, allegedly using his authority to minimise female protagonists and shutting down games in genres he didn't like.

Ubisoft claims that it's making an effort to fix its culture, promising a "structural shift" that will include "listening sessions" and bonuses tied to creating an inclusive environment, but letting executives quietly slink away and dodge blame suggests otherwise.

While promising these improvements, Guillemot passed the buck during a financial call about two weeks ago, blaming his employees and not acknowledging that Ubisoft's toxic culture starts at the top. It was almost boastful, with Guillemot taking the time to pat himself on the back for sticking to his core values.

"It has now become clear that certain individuals betrayed the trust I placed in them, and didn't live up to Ubisoft's shared values," his statement read. "I have never compromised on my core values and ethics, and never will. I will continue to run and transform Ubisoft to face today's and tomorrow's challenges."

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Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.