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PlayStation-exclusive game developer Quantic Dream has lost the court case against a former employee who quit following the distribution of inappropriate Photoshopped images of staff.
The images came to light amidst investigations of harassment and toxic working conditions in January, findings of which were published by Le Monde, Canard PC, and Mediapart.
As previously reported, studio bosses David Cage and Guillaume de Fondaumiere had a number of accusations levelled at them, including unwanted advances towards staff at parties and demanding long hours from employees.
Cage reportedly was also unwilling to consider the feelings of his female co-workers, and was known in-house as 'Daddy' and 'Sun King.' Both Cage and Fondaumiere strongly denied all accusations at the time.
Quantic Dream would later sue the publications responsible for bringing these reports to light. However, according to French gaming journalist Nicholas Turcev, the case surrounding the Photoshopped images didn't go in the developer's favour.
'[Quantic Dream] just lost a labor court suit against one of the employees at the heart of the photomontage affair from the beginning of the year,' Turcev said, via a translation on ResetEra. 'The act of breaking the employment contract was requalified as a dismissal without any real and serious cause. The studio can appeal.'
Turcev further observed that two ex-Quantic Dream staffers had attempted to sue for wrongful termination, but the cases were dismissed. One of the former employees has since appealed the decision, however.
It currently remains unknown if Quantic Dream will appeal the court's ruling.
