The controversy surrounding Quantic Dream rumbles on, as the Parisian developer has lost a court case against a former employee, who quit their job following an image manipulation scandal widely reported by French media. This is the first case that the Detroit: Become Human developer has lost, after two previous lawsuits were tossed out earlier in the year – although one is currently in the process of being appealed.
This week’s ruling, as reported by Gamekult’s Nicolas Turcev, centres around the prise d'acte employment law, which is similar to constructive dismissal and essentially sees the worker forfeiting their employment rights and salary, but then lobbying for unfair dismissal. So in this case, the former employee’s decision to quit has now been treated as unfair dismissal by the courts, and they will be afforded the various legal rights that come with it – although Quantic Dream can still obviously appeal.
The bigger picture is that the developer is currently locked in a legal battle with the various French media outlets which brought the Photoshopping scandal to light. The studio has labelled the claims as “slanderous” and part of a “smear campaign”, meaning there’s a lot more mileage in this story left to run. In the meantime, despite all of the courtroom activity overshadowing its debut, Detroit: Become Human has gone on to become the French firm’s fastest selling game.
[source twitter.com, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 34
@LaNooch1978 What does this story have to do with sexism?
@LaNooch1978 Yeah, but I'm not really seeing the sexism. From what I understand this was men "bantering" men. Also, assuming the reports are accurate, Cage is only really guilty of turning a blind eye to it.
Awwww didn't get here in time for the comment war
I'm lost, some first replies are lost. I wanna enjoy this argument to the fullest
This gun bee gud.
Oh boy. 😅 Guess I’ll be checking this thread all day.
As an American, I don’t fully appreciate the British-French rivalry. All I know is that I like French Fries.
@Th3solution We lost a 100 year war with France and never really got over it...
@Th3solution Which ironically is a Belgian product.
@Neolit I disagree about the American imports - I mean, look at the Spice Girls, David Beckham, One Direction. We're culture vultures we is.
What the hell has 1939-1945 got to do with David Cage and harassment allegations exactly?
@LaNooch1978 Ha ha - I thought that was Canada and Celine Dion?
@LaNooch1978 DAMMIT
@Neolit ooh la la
What is going on in here?
I'lll just leave this here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nXEtq78wI4
I thought this thread would be weird, but I’m kinda scared now 😂
I hope in the end QD can become better studio, I think it's good if the bad apples in QD is fired or at least reprimanded. Can't wait for QD next game on ps5
Or at least connor dlc on ps4.
@wiiware
Bad apples being fired is fine, but the boss is hardly going to fire himself!
@Neolit Why so off topic?
@LieutenantFatman The one doing photoshop is not david cage, he just don't care about it.
@wiiware
If that was his defence then it's no surprise he lost at court, lol.
@LieutenantFatman I don't think this case is about the photoshop itself, it's about wheter the employee decision to quit has now been treated as unfair dismissal or not (the courts say it is).
I don't care about this case though, I'm more interested in QD games
@wiiware
Sounds like it basically comes down to it being a really toxic work environment with people being bullied. And the, "but it was just banter!!!" excuse didn't wash.
It's down to the boss to make sure this sort of thing doesn't happen and to look after their staff. Him not being interested makes him sound even more awful.
How I feel after reading this thread is similar to how I feel after playing a Quantic Dream game...
@LieutenantFatman I guess you saw what happend there i have no clue i hear the stories but i have not seen anything. 😜
@Flaming_Kaiser
Well, for me, if the court makes a verdict against the accused that's pretty conclusive. Suggests the evidence given is likely to be overwhelming. But yeah, there's always a small chance they got it wrong. That's why there's an appeal process after all.
@Gremio108
Confused and hungry?
@LieutenantFatman Innocent until proven guilty is the cornerstone of good law system, without it we devolve to "burn the witch" stage of human era. Or neogaf/resetera lol.
Also, jim sterling investigate it and the truth seems not as clear as some people make it to be, it seems both sides (the outsourced IT departement and QD) has some problems, with that outsourced IT departement stop working and stole the salary documents when QD refuse to fire the photoshopper and give them money because they have seen the photoshopped image, and david cage that too easy going with his employee. Infact, there's photo of david cage in one of the photoshopped image, how can he fired the man when he himself doesn't mind being photoshopped.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RanbQqFTBTA
@wiiware
But QD lost the court case, this very article states that. How is agreeing with a court's verdict a witch hunt?
@Neolit France have two World Cups and two Euro Cups. England only have one World Cup!!!
@LieutenantFatman I mean about the photoshopped case, this case is about unfair dismissal isn't it? Not about the toxic environment. The court say "the former employee’s decision to quit has now been treated as unfair dismissal by the courts", not "QD is guilty of toxic office environtment".
I think the case about wheter QD office is toxic or not is in the other case, the one with the journalist.
@wiiware
The way I read it is, "the former employee’s decision to quit has now been treated as unfair dismissal by the courts.." because it's a toxic work environment / bullying.
The other case is QD taking several video game sites to court for running the story. What those articles said exactly I don't know. The timing was just before the launch of their latest game so there was clearly a worry that it might hurt sales figures to have a damaging news story about the company.
Damn.
I missed the drama
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