Quantic Dream suffers loss in employment court case

French studio Quantic Dream, developer of Detroit: Become Human, Heavy Rain and others, has suffered a loss in the courts in favour of a former employee.

Earlier this year reports emerged of an alleged culture of toxicity and inappropriate behaviour at the studio, with three major French news outlets revealing, among other things, a host of Photoshopped images of employees in degrading positions – such as having their faces placed on pornographic actors, or to show them wearing Nazi uniforms.

One employee quit the firm as a result of these images – which were freely viewable by anyone at the studio – and took their case to court, enacting (as explained on Eurogamer) the prise d’acte section of French employment law.

This complex and unique facet of the Gallic system is often a risky step, but one which has so far played out for the former employee. After terminating their own contract, the law allows the subject to petition for unfair dismissal – while forfeiting all claims to employment rights and salary until the case is tried and a verdict is reached.

The court’s decision means the former employee’s individual circumstances have been ruled as unfair dismissal, and the subject can receive all rights associated with such a ruling.

Quantic Dream has the right to appeal the court’s decision on the matter, while the studio’s attempts to sue French media outlets which broke the allegations continue.

Two other former Quantic Dream employees had similar cases dismissed, one is currently appealing the court’s decision.