Macron declares videogames part of culture and announces gaming festival
One of the most successful video games of 2025 was undeniably Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a French JRPG that captivated millions and swept numerous awards. This success didn’t just make headlines; it resonated deeply enough to earn two separate shout-outs from French President Emmanuel Macron, signaling a major cultural shift in how the nation views interactive entertainment.
The recognition of French gaming talent prompted a significant announcement from Macron: the establishment of an international videogame festival in France. This ambitious initiative was unveiled during the Lumiere Summit, a high-level conference designed to foster collaboration among governments, businesses, creators, and cultural institutions focused on the future of the moving image.
Macron’s vision framed games not as mere entertainment, but as an integral part of France’s cultural heritage, standing alongside cinema and other creative endeavors. He firmly believed that video games deserve the same status, and therefore, a global celebration is necessary to maximize their creative potential.
“We will create an international videogame festival conceived from the outset as a major global event for creativity, innovation, gamers, and the industry,” Macron stated. He emphasized that the global success of French video games demonstrated the richness of this creative industry, prompting a need to celebrate it and gain worldwide support.
The festival’s ambition extends beyond simply celebrating game sales. It aims to forge new alliances between creators and technologies, bridging the gap between public and private actors, and uniting cinema, television, platforms, and video games. The goal is to harness this revolution to unlock new creative possibilities without homogenizing global imaginations.
France is already a hub for gaming, boasting events like Paris Games Week. However, Macron’s proposal suggests a focus on a broader cultural exchange program rather than a purely business-oriented event. This initiative points toward a desire for truly global creative synergy.
Beyond Clair Obscur, the French gaming landscape is rich with talent. Companies like Ubisoft are major players, and there is a plethora of acclaimed titles emerging from France, including the Plague Tale series, Rematch, Jusant, Chants of Sennaar, Sifu, Stray, and the celebrated Another World.
This cultural push recognizes that the future of creation knows no national borders. By bringing together creators and technological innovators from diverse nations, such as France and South Korea, the proposed festival seeks to facilitate a collaborative revolution that leverages cross-cultural creativity and technological advancement to shape the next era of media.
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