Convention - PGW 2023: ESPORT: a showcase for increasingly popular video games

By Mulder, 27 october 2023

As Paris Games Week Next Level approaches, leading figures and experts gather to discuss trends in video games and pop culture. Nicolas Vignolles, General Delegate of SELL (Syndicat des éditeurs de Logiciels de Loisirs), shares his thoughts on the rise of esport in France.

Esport is booming in France, both on the amateur and professional sides. The country now boasts over 1,500 esport clubs and associations, demonstrating the growing density of the gaming community. On the professional scene, France is home to a dozen top-level teams who regularly win prestigious international titles, highlighting a considerable pool of talent.

The esport ecosystem is developing in partnership with the France Esports association, which brings together all players in the sector, including game publishers, players and tournament organizers. This collaboration has helped to improve the discipline in France and enhance its appeal on an international scale, thanks to dialogue with public authorities, notably the Ministries of the Economy and Sport.

In 2022, a reception at the Élysée Palace, attended by President Emmanuel Macron, underlined the growing status of esport in France, with the ambition of attracting the world's best players and tournaments to the country. This ambition has been realized with the introduction of the talent passport for esport players, making it easier to obtain visas for champions invited to France for major competitions.

France has also applied to host Olympic Esport Week in autumn 2024, alongside the Olympic Games, with Paris Games Week as the ideal venue. Although the decision is imminent, no official announcement has yet been made, but we're hoping for confirmation at Paris Games Week.

It's essential to note that esport differs from sport in many ways, not least in terms of video game intellectual property. Video game publishers have absolute control over their licenses, which sets them apart from traditional sports. However, thanks to the commitment of publishers such as Riot Games, Activision Blizzard and Ubisoft, esport has grown considerably, both in terms of international competitions and amateur tournaments.

As esport attracts ever-larger crowds, the dialogue between the worlds of esport and sport has improved, revealing commonalities such as the quest for performance, mental preparation, cooperation, team spirit, enjoyment of the game, sociability, ethics and fair play.

For SELL, organizer of Paris Games Week, the future lies in bringing these two fields closer together. This synergy could broaden the sport's audience, particularly among a younger public, while helping esport to develop its amateur base and strengthen the performance of its top-level teams.

Finally, it's crucial to stress the importance of sport in video games themselves. Many gamers are also sports fans, which is reflected in the popularity of sports video games in France. This connection strengthens the links between physical and digital sports, offering bridges between virtual discovery and real-life practice.

Sports federations have already recognized this opportunity, as demonstrated by the French Basketball Federation, which created FFBB Esports to encourage esport practice.

Thanks to technological advances, video games have become training tools for amateur and top-level athletes alike, helping to strengthen synergies between the worlds of sport and esports.

Paris Games Week's mission is to foster these connections, in the run-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, justifying its openness to the world of sport.

Not-to-be-missed events at PGW Next Level:
- The PGW x Fnac stage: seating 1,800, it will be the stage for rounds and finals of national and international competitions.
- The Esport & Sport village: in collaboration with numerous sports federations, it will feature skateboarding demonstrations and introductory sessions, as well as a 3x3 basketball court, in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

(Source: press release)