French and Francophone Videogames in Transnational Perspective

Videogames constitute an important element of contemporary French and Francophone culture. The videogames industry is significant to France economically, technologically, linguistically and politically and is an element of France's soft power worldwide. French public policy towards videogames has become more supportive of a cultural form often previously judged of little value, within the context of more pluralist definitions of culture and growing recognition of its technological and economic value. Similarly, the place of videogames within French and Francophone studies is slowly expanding. The production, content and playing of Francophone videogames is increasingly globalised and transnational, with French companies collaborating worldwide to produce French- and English-language games, and e-sport, for example involving real-time interactions across the globe.