Earlier this year, Detroit: Become Human and Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream was rocked by a series of damning toxic workplace allegations. According to reports from French media outlets Le Monde, Mediapart, and Canard PC, Quantic leadership overworked staff and fostered a “schoolboy culture” where inappropriate jokes, racist comments, and low-grade sexual harassment were commonplace. Quantic leaders David Cage and Guillaume de Fondaumière have dismissed the accusations as “ridiculous, absurd, and grotesque” and a “smear campaign.”

　　Back in January when this story first hit, Fondaumière vaguely hinted Quantic Dream would pursue legal action against the news outlets that leveled the allegations, and it seems the studio has followed through on their threats. According to a new report from Kotaku, Quantic Dream is indeed suing Le Monde and Mediapart – gaming publication Canard PC has received “threatening letters,” but, thus far, has been spared. Both Le Monde and Mediapart stand by their stories, with Le Monde journalist William Audureau offering the following defense…

　　“The story has been written sincerely, following a well-documented, thorough investigation, respectful of the principle that both sides must be heard. We stick with our information.”

　　Le Monde and Mediapart will have to show they handled the Quantic Dream story in good faith, did all the necessary research, and used the “appropriate caution” in their reporting. It’s unknown what evidence or arguments Quantic Dream will use against them. It seems somewhat unlikely Quantic Dream will win the day, as Le Monde and Mediapart are major news outlets who would know to do their due-diligence, but who can say? Without all the information, it’s impossible to say how this will go. The fact that this thing is a huge mess is about the only thing we know for sure.

　　Quantic Dream’s Detroit: Become Human arrives on PS4 on May 25. Are you planning on picking up the game? Have the allegations against Quantic Dream turned you off?