[ad_1]
EUR 4.3 billion. This is what reported the video game in France last year according to the SELL, Syndicat des Editors of Leisure Software. The sector has increased by 18% in just one year. It now exceeds the paper book market which weighed 3.88 billion euros, down 1%. Paris Games Week (PGW), the largest French gaming exhibition, attracting more than 300,000 visitors in 2017, opens its doors this Friday, October 26 until Tuesday. Emmanuel Martin, general delegate of SELL, who organizes the event, badyzes the French strengths and weaknesses of a very dynamic sector.
Challenges – The previous edition of Paris Games Week (PGW) was driven by the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One X releases. Is not this edition going to be disappointing?
Emmanuel Martin, General Delegate of SELL: Of course, the year 2017 is absolutely historic. But it's not a transition PGW. This year we have a huge game content (205 vs 157 last year). We are living a blessed time for gamers. Last year was very good, this year's trend is good too. The new consoles draw the demand for games when they are at the beginning of the cycle. And the level of quality of the games is quite exciting.
E-sport clearly continues to grow thanks to the Fortnite and PUGB phenomena that are incredible for the industry. All the actors look at the vintage and the demand does not weaken absolutely. The reissues of old consoles are exhausted in a few hours.
Is France competitive enough to promote the growth of its video game industry?
The devices put in place – video game tax credits, aid funds … – have proved their usefulness. In a study carried out in 2016, it was shown that 1 euro invested in the tax credit was actually 2 in the state, in taxes and tax revenues. We have very good devices that work well and create a virtuous circle. They are regularly put on the spot in an effort to reduce public spending. We remain vigilant. France has the second best system in the world after Canada for video games. What would be interesting to go further is to work on the simplification of administrative processes. After, in France, the ecosystem is attractive for international companies. We see it with the games of Quantic Dream (Detroit), or those of Arkane with Bethesda or Focus Home Interactive, Bigben and of course Ubisoft.
The Culture Pbad of 500 euros that will set up the government will it benefit the video game?
Conditions are not yet defined, but video game publishers will be able to offer content internally on a voluntary basis. The fundamental question is how we help young people develop their culture. We're trying to bridge the gap between music and video games with our PGW Symphonic gaming music concert. We will create tickets to go to the concert and the show. This will be the first time that a large part of our audience will be able to listen to a symphony orchestra.
Paris Games Week is growing a little more each year. Nevertheless it is still in the shadow of the E3 Los Angeles or Gamescom Cologne. Do you really want to compete in these major video game shows?
This year will be our ninth edition. The first eight years have seen very strong growth. For three years, we still use three halls of the Porte de Versailles. Today, we are satisfied by our volume of visitors. We do not want to increase the volume at any price at the risk of damaging the experience. We want visitors to play on the stands without waiting too long.
The PGW is an economic success and brings us money. As we are profitable, we have ways to editorialize Paris Games Week. We invite development studios, local schools or badociations. We set up stands like the junior PGW [destiné aux enfants, ndlr] and we are spreading a message with the African corner by paradise game, a booth dedicated to African video games, or with the participation of Women in Games, an badociation promoting women's representation.
We do not have to blush compared to Gamescom or E3 but their professional dimension is very different from ours. They manage to gather tens of thousands of professionals. Our audience is only French. We have our place on the world calendar of the game, especially at the end of the year coinciding with the release period of many games. But we will never be an E3, with exit announcements.
[ad_2]
Source link
