Quantic Dream and Cage face accusations from some employees of fostering hostile environment

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Here is link;

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/01/hostile-workplace-accusations-rock-playstation-developer-quantic-dream/

Here is words;

Spoiler: Human words...

A trio of French media reports over the weekend accuse high-profile PlayStation developer Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, the upcoming Detroit: Become Human) of fostering a "toxic corporate culture" where inappropriate behavior and homophobic, racist, and sexist jokes were tolerated, if not encouraged.

The reports spring from a complaint reportedly filed last spring by five former Quantic Dream employees, centering on what French newspaper Le Monde describes as "degrading photomontages." French magazine CanardPC includes some examples of those (NSFW) montages on its Web version, showing Quantic Dream employees photoshopped onto sexually suggestive or explicit images. Le Monde's report cites a collection of roughly 600 such images that circulated around the company via group email since 2013, including some with "homophobic or sexist slurs." French online news site Mediapart has a similar report.

Quantic Dream founder David Cage is accused in the Le Monde piece of making racist remarks toward a Tunisian employee surrounding CCTV footage of a burglary. Cage is also accused of making repeated dirty jokes in work situations and sexist remarks about female cast members in his games.

Cage is quoted in Le Monde's piece as saying the accusations are "ridiculous, absurd and grotesque." Cage says he was not aware of the worst of the shared images until they were recently brought to his attention, though some employees say these images were often printed and displayed around the company offices.

"You want to talk about homophobia? I work with Ellen Page, who fights for LGBT rights," Cage told Le Monde. "You want to talk about racism? I work with Jesse Williams, who fights for civil rights in the United States. Judge my work."

Quantic Dream cofounder Guillaume de Fondaumi?re, who stands accused of various acts of sexual misconduct in the piece, called the accusations "absolutely false" and insisted, "none of any of this happened at any evening event."

In a follow-up statement posted on Twitter Sunday, Quantic Dream says it "categorically den[ies] all of these allegations. Quantic Dream filed a complaint several months ago, and further complaints will follow.

"Inappropriate conduct or practices have no place at Quantic Dream. We have taken and always will take such grievances very seriously," the statement continues. "We value every single person who works at Quantic Dream. It is of utmost importance to us that we maintain a safe environment that allows us all to channel our shared passion for making video games."

Back in 2013, Quantic Dream found itself embroiled in a scandal when nude images of Ellen Page's character from Beyond: Two Souls were found embedded in the game and leaked via the use of a "debug" PlayStation 3. It was later revealed that Page was considering legal action against Quantic Dream surrounding the leaked images.

Quantic Dream also faced a different kind of controversy concerning a Paris Games Week trailer for the upcoming Detroit: Beyond Human, which focused on scenes of domestic abuse. In December, UK parliament member Damian Collins said it was "completely wrong" to feature such domestic violence in a game, echoing other activists quoted at the time. Cage defended the scene, telling Eurogamer that he "[tries] to tell a story that matters to me, that I find moving, interesting and exciting and my role as a creator is to maybe deliver something that people don't expect... The rule I give myself is to never glorify violence, to never do anything gratuitous. It has to have a purpose, have a meaning, and create something that is hopefully meaningful for people."

Here is David Cage's, errm... defense? Response?;

"You want to talk about homophobia? I work with Ellen Page, who fights for LGBT rights," Cage told Le Monde. "You want to talk about racism? I work with Jesse Williams, who fights for civil rights in the United States. Judge my work."

Not sure why, but that statement is deeply irritating on a level not usually felt by me.

Here is a statement through their corporate PR filter;

"Inappropriate conduct or practices have no place at Quantic Dream. We have taken and always will take such grievances very seriously," the statement continues. "We value every single person who works at Quantic Dream. It is of utmost importance to us that we maintain a safe environment that allows us all to channel our shared passion for making video games."

The incident with Ellen Page's nude images found in game files around 2013 is completely new to me though. Damn, son...not looking too rosy the bigger picture it paints, but in a way am not surprised by this coming out. Source articles also mention of work hours far exceeding France's current regulations. Thoughts? Is this a conspiracy to take down gaming from the inside? Is it a witch hunt against an innocent and talented auteur who writes thought provoking and coherent timeless classics?

 

[Xprimentyl]

SNIP

Ugh, I thoroughly enjoyed Indigo Prohecy (aka: Farenheit in Europe,) Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls and have always respected QD as a developer willing to take the road less traveled; it saddens me to think a dev so forward thinking and innovative might foster an environment conducive to the lowest levels of crude society within its own house.

And why does David Cage?s statement in defense of any notion that he?d harbor sexist/racist mentalities given his ?track record? that should suggest otherwise bother you? It?s perhaps the same as a white guy suspected of dropping the ?N? bomb saying it?s absurd because he?s ?got a black friend.? It?s a cop out and belittles the deeper issue. I?ve shaken the hands of people I don?t like; that?s not ineffable proof that I don?t like them, and should I ever be accused of grossly disrespecting those people behind closed doors (or worse, within walls I deem to be ?safe? for me to air my true thoughts to others,) I?d hope to have a better defense than ?Nu-uh, ?cuz we shook hands that one time!? It dodges the issue when it needs to be met head on; ?I didn?t do/say/know it? negates the gravity of the idea that it might have been done/said/known by anyone under your employ in the first place. Own it; recognize it as something that needs addressed even if its only allegations. If I?m accused and know I?m innocent, I?m willing to see and address any evidence to that end, apologize for any misperception and agree to ensure go-forward that my environment and those within it will not tolerate such thoughtlessness.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

"You want to talk about homophobia? I work with Ellen Page, who fights for LGBT rights," Cage told Le Monde. "You want to talk about racism? I work with Jesse Williams, who fights for civil rights in the United States. Judge my work." he says. Pffbt. Your co-worker's beliefs don't mean shit for your own. I have a good feeling he conjured that up to deflect the concerns towards him and nothing more

 

[Dalisclock]

Not really surprised. Cage comes across as a bit of a creep at times.

 

[Callate]

I think, bluntly, that it's never been easier for disgruntled ex-employees to drag their former employers through the mud.

Cage is tone-deaf, overly fond of shower scenes, and his best work is about as good as a mediocre USA Channel original picture. But I'm perfectly willing to believe that if there was a "toxic work environment", he was genuinely unaware of those who were making it so, and that people were willing to tolerate "toxicity" until it stopped providing a paycheck is a completely decent reason to take their accusations with a grain of salt until there's further corroboration.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

"You want to talk about homophobia? I work with Ellen Page, who fights for LGBT rights," Cage told Le Monde. "You want to talk about racism? I work with Jesse Williams, who fights for civil rights in the United States. Judge my work." he says. Pffbt. Your co-worker's beliefs don't mean shit for your own. I have a good feeling he conjured that up to deflect the concerns towards him and nothing more

Its the argument equivalent to "I can't be racist, I've got black friends and they like me."

 

[EscapistAccount]

Its the argument equivalent to "I can't be racist, I've got black friends and they like me."

The problem is that there's no actual defense against being called a racist so people end up groping for evidence led claims that don't really make sense. Without counting 'would people of different races find me agreeable were I racist?' you're basically left with your only possible defense being 'no I'm not'.

The problem with allegations like this is that it's very difficult to prove a negative and that there's rarely any real objective evidence that something didn't happen so the usual defense against an allegation (some variation on 'I didn't do that') doesn't really work.

 

[gigastar]

Meh. Wake me up when the allegations of Cage putting his dick on an interns shoulder roll out.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Meh. Wake me up when the allegations of Cage putting his dick on an interns shoulder roll out.

Yeah, what?s ironic is that Cage even fails to mimic Hollywood on the worst end of the spectrum. And as far as those nude pics of Page?s ?character?, wasn?t there already a nude shower scene from the game anyways? Why allow any of it in the first place if it?s going to bother you later? Could it possibly have something to do with not having the check cashed yet I wonder.

This stuff is outrageous and at the same time somewhat comical given the reactions...but then again I just watched both of Dave Chappelle?s new stand ups. He has some interesting thoughts on the latest Hollywood drama.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I think, bluntly, that it's never been easier for disgruntled ex-employees to drag their former employers through the mud.

Cage is tone-deaf, overly fond of shower scenes, and his best work is about as good as a mediocre USA Channel original picture. But I'm perfectly willing to believe that if there was a "toxic work environment", he was genuinely unaware of those who were making it so, and that people were willing to tolerate "toxicity" until it stopped providing a paycheck is a completely decent reason to take their accusations with a grain of salt until there's further corroboration.

Basically this. David Cage has never struck me as a guy in touch with reality. He's kind of like a creepy Uncle that does or says shit that is just a little off, but he genuinely doesn't know any better.

I also am starting to feel like this whole "Me too" movement is getting a little insane. Between Hollywood and the games industry, hell even private businesses and public corporations, it is just starting to seem that everyone is standing up just for the sake of becoming a news story. I don't find it hard to believe that sexual harassment occurs, but I do find it hard to believe that outright sexual assault is just fucking everywhere. Especially in the big public spaces like the media industry.

It also seems really odd that all these allegations only seem to come up after the person who was the "victim" no longer needs the person they accuse. This is especially prevalent in the Weinstien cases, where the "casting" couch wasn't a problem until after you've become a multi-million dollar movie star.

In the Quantum Dream case, it looks like allegations come out when the paychecks are about to stop as production whines down on the latest project. The work environment wasn't toxic enough to say shit while your contract still had a couple years on it, but once the post-project layoffs get close it becomes a problem then does it? It's always interesting how that shit seems to always work out.

 

[CaitSeith]

I think, bluntly, that it's never been easier for disgruntled ex-employees to drag their former employers through the mud.

Cage is tone-deaf, overly fond of shower scenes, and his best work is about as good as a mediocre USA Channel original picture. But I'm perfectly willing to believe that if there was a "toxic work environment", he was genuinely unaware of those who were making it so, and that people were willing to tolerate "toxicity" until it stopped providing a paycheck is a completely decent reason to take their accusations with a grain of salt until there's further corroboration.

Your allegations are pretty flimsy, so let's agree to disagree.

 

[CaitSeith]

I think, bluntly, that it's never been easier for disgruntled ex-employees to drag their former employers through the mud.

Cage is tone-deaf, overly fond of shower scenes, and his best work is about as good as a mediocre USA Channel original picture. But I'm perfectly willing to believe that if there was a "toxic work environment", he was genuinely unaware of those who were making it so, and that people were willing to tolerate "toxicity" until it stopped providing a paycheck is a completely decent reason to take their accusations with a grain of salt until there's further corroboration.

Basically this. David Cage has never struck me as a guy in touch with reality. He's kind of like a creepy Uncle that does or says shit that is just a little off, but he genuinely doesn't know any better.

I also am starting to feel like this whole "Me too" movement is getting a little insane. Between Hollywood and the games industry, hell even private businesses and public corporations, it is just starting to seem that everyone is standing up just for the sake of becoming a news story. I don't find it hard to believe that sexual harassment occurs, but I do find it hard to believe that outright sexual assault is just fucking everywhere. Especially in the big public spaces like the media industry.

It also seems really odd that all these allegations only seem to come up after the person who was the "victim" no longer needs the person they accuse. This is especially prevalent in the Weinstien cases, where the "casting" couch wasn't a problem until after you've become a multi-million dollar movie star.

In the Quantum Dream case, it looks like allegations come out when the paychecks are about to stop as production whines down on the latest project. The work environment wasn't toxic enough to say shit while your contract still had a couple years on it, but once the post-project layoffs get close it becomes a problem then does it? It's always interesting how that shit seems to always work out.

On the other side, the allegations seem to come more frequent when the accusees no longer have financial power over the accusers. So let's agree to disagree.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I think, bluntly, that it's never been easier for disgruntled ex-employees to drag their former employers through the mud.

Cage is tone-deaf, overly fond of shower scenes, and his best work is about as good as a mediocre USA Channel original picture. But I'm perfectly willing to believe that if there was a "toxic work environment", he was genuinely unaware of those who were making it so, and that people were willing to tolerate "toxicity" until it stopped providing a paycheck is a completely decent reason to take their accusations with a grain of salt until there's further corroboration.

Basically this. David Cage has never struck me as a guy in touch with reality. He's kind of like a creepy Uncle that does or says shit that is just a little off, but he genuinely doesn't know any better.

I also am starting to feel like this whole "Me too" movement is getting a little insane. Between Hollywood and the games industry, hell even private businesses and public corporations, it is just starting to seem that everyone is standing up just for the sake of becoming a news story. I don't find it hard to believe that sexual harassment occurs, but I do find it hard to believe that outright sexual assault is just fucking everywhere. Especially in the big public spaces like the media industry.

It also seems really odd that all these allegations only seem to come up after the person who was the "victim" no longer needs the person they accuse. This is especially prevalent in the Weinstien cases, where the "casting" couch wasn't a problem until after you've become a multi-million dollar movie star.

In the Quantum Dream case, it looks like allegations come out when the paychecks are about to stop as production whines down on the latest project. The work environment wasn't toxic enough to say shit while your contract still had a couple years on it, but once the post-project layoffs get close it becomes a problem then does it? It's always interesting how that shit seems to always work out.

On the other side, the allegations seem to come more frequent when the accusees no longer have financial power over the accusers. So let's agree to disagree.

I'm sure that's a part of it too. My opinion more points at hollywood than anything else. Because even though I am not gay, if someone promise me a lead role in a major film franchise that would make me 100's of millions of dollars, I'd probably let them put it in my ass too.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

I like his games because of the graphics.

Never cared about the dude himself.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Having offensive jokes shouldn't be anyone's business (unless they are directed at a specific person) but the photoshopped images are pretty bad.

Well, they're apparently directed at a Tunisian employee and several female cast members. And they don't seem to be so much jokes as remarks.

Anyway, yikes. This seems like a bit too much smoke for it not to have something burning. I mean, I knew David Cage was kinda a creep, but I always assumed he kept it in the circus.

And as far as those nude pics of Page?s ?character?, wasn?t there already a nude shower scene from the game anyways? Why allow any of it in the first place if it?s going to bother you later? Could it possibly have something to do with not having the check cashed yet I wonder.

I reckon it's because this information was never disclosed to her. She assumed this professional studio had rendered a very tame looking shower scene, and that that was that. But then it's revealed that they (unnecessarily) rendered her entire body (at least from the waste up), which could then be peeped at via a hack. This is different then, say, some porn site using her likeness. She likely signed off on this NOT being a full monty type of deal, but then they put it there anyway.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

It's alleged that Page has some form of no nudity clause with her work, oh and extra info here;

http://www.businessinsider.com/ellen-page-explored-legal-action-against-sony-over-nude-video-game-images-2015-4

annnnnnd further translation;

Fifty employees left the studio in the years 2015-16, says Le Monde.

?Some employees, with medical certificate as proof, talk about burn out and depression?? says the paper. ?One year and an half later, they don?t want to hear again about Quantic Dream.?

The public prosecutor?s office of Paris has opened a preliminary investigation into the company for harassment and discrimination, says Le Monde. The article?s author also describes meeting Cage in the studio as part of his investigation.

?In the meeting room, where Le Monde met him, David Cage swore twice that Quantic Dream ?wasn?t a rugby changing room.? Just behind him, on a board, was drawn a phallus whose testicles were dropping a fart.?

that last part is something out of a 90s sitcom. Idiots

 

[sXeth]

I think, bluntly, that it's never been easier for disgruntled ex-employees to drag their former employers through the mud.

Cage is tone-deaf, overly fond of shower scenes, and his best work is about as good as a mediocre USA Channel original picture. But I'm perfectly willing to believe that if there was a "toxic work environment", he was genuinely unaware of those who were making it so, and that people were willing to tolerate "toxicity" until it stopped providing a paycheck is a completely decent reason to take their accusations with a grain of salt until there's further corroboration.

Basically this. David Cage has never struck me as a guy in touch with reality. He's kind of like a creepy Uncle that does or says shit that is just a little off, but he genuinely doesn't know any better.

He always struck me as having some sort of social functionality disorder. Which doesn't excuse any of the allegations, if true. But accounts for how a lot of his work seems sort of like an outside perspective trying to do an impression of normal social interactions. Even his response fits into the profile, where he ends by "judge my product/actions", emphasizing that he's even aware his own personality and presentation of things is a bit off.

 

[CriticalGaming]

I think, bluntly, that it's never been easier for disgruntled ex-employees to drag their former employers through the mud.

Cage is tone-deaf, overly fond of shower scenes, and his best work is about as good as a mediocre USA Channel original picture. But I'm perfectly willing to believe that if there was a "toxic work environment", he was genuinely unaware of those who were making it so, and that people were willing to tolerate "toxicity" until it stopped providing a paycheck is a completely decent reason to take their accusations with a grain of salt until there's further corroboration.

Basically this. David Cage has never struck me as a guy in touch with reality. He's kind of like a creepy Uncle that does or says shit that is just a little off, but he genuinely doesn't know any better.

He always struck me as having some sort of social functionality disorder. Which doesn't excuse any of the allegations, if true. But accounts for how a lot of his work seems sort of like an outside perspective trying to do an impression of normal social interactions. Even his response fits into the profile, where he ends by "judge my product/actions", emphasizing that he's even aware his own personality and presentation of things is a bit off.

I kind of agree with his "judge my product/actions" idea though. I mean if the entertainment provided is good, then frankly I don't care if the person behind it is a shitbag.

Like I enjoy a lot of heavy metal and rap music, but a lot of those performers do some really shitty things, why should I suffer on their actions by not being able to enjoy the things I enjoy because they might have punched a baby at some point?

People I feel like to make a big show of condemning someone's actions, but it doesn't stop them or anybody else from buying things made by those people. It's outrage for the sake of trying to making yourself feel morally superior, but ignores the fact that we all do shitty things. Nobody is a saint, and there is at least one thing we've all done in our lives that was shitty.

I mean for fucks sake, how many athletes beat women, or fucking kill people, and yet still play professional sports because the team and the fans value winning for any moral recourse. It's fucking hypocritical as hell.

 

[TilMorrow]

Cage has always been a creepy bugger. If you didn't start getting hints when you played Indigo Prophecy (or Fahrenheit) and Heavy Rain didn't clue you in with all it's weirdness, then his emotions quote, the whole of Beyond and the fact he commissioned a fully modeled nude model of Ellen Page for a shower scene that wasn't even necessary as it wasn't a focused shot in the game should've been clear enough. Heck you have to have something wrong with you if you think Omikron: The Nomad Soul was a masterpiece of a game and in any state to be released as it was.