Back in January this year, KeenGamer covered a heated controversy emanating from Detroit: Become Human’s studio, Quantic Dream. The developer’s latest title may have experienced great success on a commercial scale, but its staff have come forward expressing dissatisfaction with Quantic’s work environment. The victim of the case brought forward information to French press and the court relating to photoshopped and sexually explicit images of said staff member being circulated around the office. These were both digital and hard copies stuck on walls. All the while, David Cage swears blind that he was shocked to hear of such behaviour and that he was previously aware of no such negative behaviour taking place his studio.
The various allegations also accused Cage and his fellow company director Guillaume de Fondaumière of turning a blind eye to sexual harassment and racially divisive behave at the studio. Now, six months later, and after several court cases with other ex-members of staff, as well as what Cage would call a “public smear campaign” from French publication Le Monde, the cards have not shuffled out in his favour. Prior to this, David Cage had attempted to sue Le Monde and its fellow publications for slander. However, after the result of today’s court case, things are not likely to go his way.
Eventually the court case came to the conclusion it did under a law called prise d'acte. This law says that if any member of staff in the workplace leaves under allegations of being made a victim or suffering under harassment, the nature of their leaving can be viewed as unfair dismissal. Really, this law was put in place to help shine a light on certain ineptitudes of companies and highlight where they may be failing on a HR level. As result, Quantic Dream now has no legal right to appeal this decision, marking in stone their total defeat on the matter.
This was the first court case against Quantic Dream on the matter to find success. As for the other two: one has conceded defeat and the other has lodged an appeal to continue their case. Meanwhile, Quantic Dream’s attempt to sue French media outlets like Le Monde for slander remains ongoing.
