Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has apologised publicly for recent scandals that have tarnished the French publisher’s reputation.
In a four-minute video released ahead ofUbisoftForward, a high-profile software showcasescheduled to take place later today, Guillemot said he was “truly sorry to everyone” impacted by recent acts of sexual misconduct at the company.
He also apologised for the recent appropriation of the raised fist symbol, which is widely associated with the Black Lives Matter movement, in mobile game Tom Clancy: Elite Squad, where it was used by fictional terrorists. Guillemot’s son Charlie is the creative director of the game, according toBloomberg.
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“This summer, we learned that certain Ubisoft employees did not uphold our company’s values and that our systems failed to protect the victims of their behaviour,” Guillemot said.
“I am truly sorry to everyone who was hurt. We have taken significant steps to remove or sanction those who violated our values and code of conduct, and we are working hard to improve our systems and processes.”
As part of its bid to improve diversity and inclusivity “at all levels of the company” Ubisoft will invest “an additional” $1 million in its graduate recruitment campaign over the next five years with a focus on creating opportunities for under-represented groups.
Guillemot added: “We are at the start of a long journey. Real change will take time. But I am determined to do everything in my power to ensure everyone at Ubisoft feels welcome, respected and safe, and to rebuild the trust our teams, fans and players have in us.”
An update regarding Tom Clancy’s Elite Squad:pic.twitter.com/G6Hb1SO7Gx
“Also, around the world, this year continues to be a time of societal unrest,” he continued. “I want to be clear: Ubisoft stands for equality and respect for all.
“Unfortunately, one of our recent mobile games included content that was inappropriate. This kind of oversight cannot happen. We are putting in place safeguards to prevent it in the future.
“We condemn anyone using our games as a proxy for hate or toxicity. We fully support the Black Lives Matter movement. And today, we are making an additional donation to theNAACP Legal Defense Fund.”
Ubisoft was previouslycriticised for not addressing sexual misconduct allegationsahead of its first Ubisoft Forward event in July.
