Publisher Ubisoft says it has launched investigations into allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct by its employees. In a statement released on Thursday, Ubisoft said it is dedicated to creating inclusive and safe working environments, but adds, It is clear we have fallen short of this in the past. We must do better.
Ubisoft says it is working with external consultants to investigate allegations. While the company did not name specific employees, Ubisoft confirmed on Wednesday that one high-profile staffer, Assassins Creed creative director Ashraf Ismail, was taking a leave of absence amid accusations of inappropriate behavior with women.
At least two other Ubisoft employees, product and brand marketing manager Andrien Gbinigie and associate public relations director Stone Chin, have also been accused of sexual harassment and predatory behavior, according to a report from Gamasutra. Ubisoft said it was deeply concerned about those accusations in a statement to Gamasutra.
Other current and former Ubisoft employees have also been accused of assault, harassment, and sexual misconduct amid a flood of allegations and revelations from victims of abuse in the gaming, esports, comics, and entertainment industries.
Ubisofts full statement on its plan to investigate claims of abuse by its employees follows.
Concerning recent allegations raised against certain Ubisoft team members: We want to start by apologizing to everyone affected by this we are truly sorry. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and safe environment for our teams, players, and communities. It is clear we have fallen short of this in the past. We must do better.
We have started by launching investigations into the allegations with the support of specialized external consultants. Based on the outcomes, we are fully committed to taking any and all appropriate disciplinary action. As these investigations are ongoing, we cant comment further. We are also auditing our existing policies, processes, and systems to understand where these have broken down, and to ensure we can better prevent, detect, and punish inappropriate behavior.
We will be sharing additional measures that we are putting in place with our teams in the coming days. Our goal is to foster an environment that our employees, partners, and communities can be proud of one that reflects our values and that is safe for everyone.
