My Story

---

I'm here to share that rampant, sexual, abuse is not limited to employees of Ubisoft but it extends to the fan and Star Player community as well. Key members of the Ubisoft team have repeatedly used their status to victimize vulnerable fans and Star Players. This must stop. I'm asking Ubisoft and other gaming companies to establish better protocols or rules of conduct for any employee. There should be consequences for this behavior. Some may argue that Europe specifically France and Italy are known as a womanizing culture. They are however, a global company and should adhere to higher standards.

I have been a long time fan of Ubisoft and worked extremely hard to become a Star Player that included financing my own costumes, hours of practice and then videotaping to get it right, and general involvement in the community. All enhancing the brand and awareness of Ubisoft. I was and am proud of my accomplishments.


My story is not unlike the rest you've read. As I was reading so many other women's traumatic events, I realized how incredibly similar they were to mine. All the elements were there, the hotel rooms, the gaming conventions, a member of the gaming industry we looked up to.

Let me preface it with, at the time this happened, my entire soul was shattered, and my marriage was what I thought, failing at the time. I was looking for intimacy, love, be noticed and seen, attention, and to feel special or unique. I was extremely vulnerable. I know most who know me see me as a tough-ass, not letting ridiculous shit slide by without notice, and confident woman. So it has been tough for me personally, to let the world know that even the tough, strong women can be preyed upon. BUT - I also want to tell my story to say that it can happen to anyone.

I had debated on being so open with random strangers here today, but f it. You can assume what you want from me, I am not here to convince you of things, I'm only here to tell my honest truth.

Ever since I've found Kate's story on Twitter, he has had to relive the past year with me. My husband knows the entire story I am about to tell. I thank God for him, and all these nightmares have truly brought us closer than ever, especially now.

I am here telling this with honesty. When you're able to see the whole picture, I hope it will bring you some clarity of what I went through and how intricate and seemingly-casual this kind of behavior can be.

Last week was the first time ever that I finally broke through and realized what this really was. It was male predatory grooming behavior to a female. This guy's "spell" was so strong that I had been lying to myself for over a year about the truth of it all.

I met this man in 2018 at E3 at a Ubisoft Just Dance community event. For now, we will call him The Photographer. I've been involved in the Just Dance community for almost 5 years now. We all danced, had our fun, and played the new and upcoming game at truly a wonderful event at a separate location from E3 itself, but nearby. At the end of the event, I was with some of my Just Dance friends chatting it up as the event was winding down. This guy abruptly comes up to me in my circle of friends and says, "Do you want to smoke some weed?" I knew that he was filming and photographing the event and was on Ubisoft staff or contracted to work the event. I could not believe he would put his job on the line like that in front of his fellow Ubisoft employees, other Just Dancers, and myself. Although I am a big advocate for cannabis, there's a time and place for it, and this was not appropriate. I was still building my reputation with Ubisoft, after all, "Reputations are better kept than recovered." I told him, "No." He then goes on to ask, "How old are you?" Again, this was super weird and inappropriate, I mean for any man to ask a woman's age is just, outright tacky. was clear to me this guy was 1) not American and did not know we do not ask that here (or ever really) or 2) was just messing with me or trolling. I wasn't entirely sure. That was our first meeting.

After gaming conventions and events, I usually would add Ubisoft employees I came in contact with on social media to grow my bond with the "Ubisoft family." I loved Ubisoft. It was exciting and inspirational for me to be connected to them. Not to mention this fueled my passion for eventually getting a job at Ubisoft and making an impact on the future of Just Dance. I added The Photographer, and we never really talked from there. In fact, I had forgotten I even added him until after E3 2019.

Segway time, in early 2019, I became a Ubisoft Star Player. Within the community of gamers, and possibly more so with Ubisoft gamers, this is a huge honor to be recognized. Copy and pasted directly from the Ubisoft Star Player website:
"What is a Star Player? Star Players are people who have taken great strides within their communities and created a positive impact on the fan base. This can take many forms; previous Star Players have ranged from fan artists, streamers, cosplayers, board moderators, and many more. These are the people who tirelessly create content, help to enrich a game's community and do so positively and constructively. In short, they rock!"
They don't just pick anyone, there is not a set algorithm to become a Star Player. I was chosen as a Star Player, and you can imagine how amazing this felt. This also meant that I would receive an invite to E3 with a complimentary hotel, transportation, food, VIP access, and a once in a lifetime experience.

Around the 2nd to last day of E3, I wore one of my new Just Dance cosplay creations, and I felt freakin' awesome. I was beaming.

This costume was seriously challenging to make, and I was so proud of it and its accuracy. Ubisoft and I worked closely on this project. They'd send me images of the costumes from the game before the game is even announced at E3. I'd make the costumes and wear them to conventions. By the way, never once was I paid to do this. FYI I vow to never let myself do this again in the future. Since then, I've learned that my craft is more valuable. It is embarrassing to say that any of my work was done for free. How poorly I was treated about this free type of work is seriously a whole other story. I digress, as that's not the main story I want to get out here today, obviously.

The Photographer from 2018 found me this day when I was wearing my costume and said to me, "if you want photos taken of you, come and find me." I barely heard this as he said this as all the Star Players and myself were entering E3 for the day. The excitement and atmosphere were buzzing, as usual, my focus was on the convention.

The next day, all of the Star Players were leaving for their home countries. I was one of the few Star Players that stayed for an extra E3 day. Just Dance would have a couple of stage shows on the Ubisoft main stage every day during E3. I was waiting for the last Just Dance stage show when The Photographer appeared. As weird as our prior encounters were, his behavior at the convention was professional and neutral. We exchanged contact information to possibly meet up later. I knew he had weed, and it would be fun the chill and talk. The convo was short as the show was about to start on stage. I vividly recall him whispering me this, "have you ever used your body to get things?" Being blind-sided by this blatantly sexual question, I responded, "No." I couldn't really figure this guy out or his intentions, as it was kind "you're watching a movie, and someone is trying to talk to you" type of background thing. Again, my mind was really focused on Just Dance, not on his intentions.

E3 ends, and I messaged him to meet up and chill. Here's where it gets a bit hazy. I will say, this guy is a champ at being Mr. Rico Suave, smooth, charming, confident, funny, shocking, different, alluring, you name it. He was French, very flirtatiously sexual, I mean now that I think of it, he is the quintessential Pepé Le Pew. As vulgar as his actions were, I ate that shit up because it was still a form of attention. We walked around the hotel pool area, smoking weed, talking about my marriage and its problems, spirituality, and sexual things.
As I am peering over the hotels courtyard ledge on to the busy streets of Los Angeles' nightlife, he says to me "what a beautiful view". He was sitting down as I was standing, it's obvious he was talking about my ass as I turned around to see his face glow with flirtation.

He very much knew I was married this entire time. After I smoked as much as I felt comfortable with, I kept trying to pass it back to him, saying, "I don't want to get too high, I don't usually smoke this much." He kept pressuring me to smoke more, not thinking much of it, I did. Now, of course, in retrospect, I realize it was a massive red flag.

The more I talked to him, the more I felt comfortable with him, I began to trust this guy. These things are so incredibly hard to describe without experiencing it. He knew how to take my specific vulnerability and used that for his advantage instead of just being a listening, supportive friend. Why do I call him a friend? Because this man was someone I saw as an inspiration, a fellow artist, a fellow spiritual believer, a sensual being. He knew the behaviors to exhibit, whether intentional or not, to get at me.

We get back to his hotel room, and I start talking about the costume I made for Just Dance, showing him the video preview trailer from the new game on YouTube. He asks what music I'd like to listen to, and I recommend something, Daft Punk, & he puts it on excitedly. He asks me if I want a back massage, and to me at the time, sounded WONDERFUL. E3 is so insanely tiring, and not to mention with all the dancing I had been doing and costume-wearing, trust me when I say the exhaustion was extreme. I agree with the massage. I lay on the bed, and he suggests for me to take off my shirt saying, "Why are you wearing this?" I still say to him, "No I want to leave it on." As I lay down, he gets on top of me, straddling, and starts massaging my back. I think, "Okay yeah, I guess it would feel nicer if I took this off" The shirt I was wearing is a weird material. I'm not sure how to explain it; it's a bit puffy; so I removed it. He asks about my bra, and I kind of just agree, feeling uneasy, I unhook it but leave the bra under me. He starts massaging me, it felt nice to get a massage and be relaxed, all the while high from the marijuana we smoked not too long before this. All of a sudden, even as I write this, I get an extreme sinking feeling in my stomach that I can only describe as stage fright, fear, & panic all wrapped in one, shot to the core of my existence. I felt something on my back that was not a hand, at first I couldn't imagine what it was, until I realized he was kissing my back, slowly. Here I am, very relaxed, a little high, a man is on top of me spread eagle, and he is repeatedly kissing my back without my consent. My sinking feeling in my head was an immediate "THIS IS NOT okay. Oh my god, my husband, this is not okay". It's so strange that the human mind under this kind of male grooming spell will make up lies immediately to cope with the severity of reality. I can only imagine it is to mentally save oneself from the horrors of what was unfolding. I told myself it was okay...well, because it is happening, it had already happened (the unsolicited kissing on my back), this has to be okay...I didn't do anything here, it was all him, this is okay, right??? After so many uncomfortable kisses on my back, I get a phone call from my husband, saying he can't sleep, and he feels something isn't right. The Photographer jumps off me immediately and runs to the bathroom, I assume not to be heard on the phone.

I can only imagine what my husband possibly saved me from with that phone call.

We go to sleep in separate beds soon after, and the rest of my story is too long to even write.

I was so enamored by this man and his confidence, and our supposed like minded artistic spiritual connection. I look back today at who I was then, and I don't even recognize that person anymore. When a person has not been touched, or intimacy is lacking, we as humans are more vulnerable to the kindness of strangers. To keep that kind of predator in my life and act like we could've become something is hilarious to me now, also ignoring all his narcissistic player attitude and an unreal amount of red flags. In the span of our conversations he would often ask for nudes, message me on LinkedIn with "lets fuck hard", send me photos of himself with his girlfriend in the photo (seriously, what the hell?), joke about wanting to marry me and moving to California to be with me, brag about how many mouths have been on his dick, brag about screwing a woman from Spain anally, all the while yes, him having a girlfriend. He also thought it would be "cool" to let me know I am not the first woman he's done things with that was married, like it was something to be proud of.
I went from him making me feel special and seen, to like a very tiny useless discarded object.

That's my story, and his name is Cyril Veyret from Ubisoft Paris. He is a repeat offender. I really hope this man finds therapy, truly, and I hope he finds his true self. He is a great artist, I saw that, but you have you fix yourself. This was not okay. Your actions are not okay. I disclosed personal information to him, and look at what he did with that information. He used it for fuel and found the moment to strike. This is what a predator does.

I am hoping my story can help anyone else to tell theirs, just like Kate's and so many other women's did for me.
It is so not your fault. And please remember, you are never ever alone.


*I am not in any way condoning a witch hunt of the named party here. This is to give survivors a voice so they don’t feel alone or live in fear of being gaslit by this industry.
I think Kate worded is perfectly in her story: "To reiterate: I don’t want to incite a mob - I want to put this behind me for good. I want to make sure no one else has to suffer....you’re not to blame and you’re not alone. I hope we all get to heal."

Reply · Report Post