France is the uncontested leader in Europe for video games – and Paris sits at the video game heart. France produces more video game content, employs more people in the sector and has more dedicated schools and university courses than anywhere else in Europe. Why this should be so, is a combination of traditional strengths and serendipitous technology: comics have long been seen as belonging to mainstream culture, combined with a strong engineering/IT background and a high penetration rate of cheap ASDL, have given video gaming and multimedia the solid base for growth it needed in France.
Estimates for the French video game market in 2005, range from €1.54bn (Gfk) to €1.79Bn (AFJV). Sales of software alone are estimated at €970m. In Europe, the market for games and consoles, excluding accessories, is estimated at €8.1Bn. Over 15million people, more than a quarter of France’s population, play video games regularly. In 2005, 30 million games were down-loaded in France, according to Gfk, while 37.7million games were purchased. While the typical French gamer remains male, between 15 and 24 years old, gaming has spread to other population segments: female gamers, the older generation and young girls now increasingly can be found zapping. This has translated into average growth rates of 10% per annum between 2002 and 2006 (AJVD).
While this growth rate looks enviable to most industries, video game experts believe the market is in fact in a transition phase. Growth should accelerate sharply as of 2007, driven by the introduction of new technology, notably the Nintendo console Wii and the introduction of the Playstation 3. Equally, the emergence of new types of gaming, notably of on-line multiplayer games and games fro mobile phones, is driving new demand.
On-line gaming took off in early 2005 with World of Warcraft but the number of on-line gamers worldwide has risen 3-fold since then. In 2004, there was an estimated 4.4million on-line gamers. By 2009, their number is estimated to rise to 30million. The studio that created World of Warcraft was bought by French company Vivendi.
With regards games for mobile phones, France is in a clear leadership position, notably because of the expertise of companies like Gameloft and In-Fusio. According to Gfk, in 2005, 5 million games were telecharged in France. Sales doubled in 2006 and show no sign of slowing this year. The French are keen mobile gamers, as witnessed by the success of the Nintendo DS (1 million units sold in June 2006) and the Sony PSP (500,000 units sold from Sept 2005-Jan 2006).
The strength of the video game industry in France and notably the pole-position of Paris is due to various attributes, not least the role of higher education. Paris boasts numerous higher education facilities that specialize in multimedia – from video games to software/middleware production and applications. The Ecole des Gobelins – Paris Xlll leads the pack with worldwide reach and reputation in digital imagery. Proof of the sector’s vibrancy, Paris hosts over 60 video game-related studios, most of them companies that have started up within the last 10 years. As the sector continues to see worldwide growth, the experience and expertise of the French companies should keep them in the forefront of the video game world.
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