The French video game sector goes on strike after two years of galley

The French video game industry is on strike this Thursday, February 13. At the call of the Video Game Workers Union (STJV), the movement intends to make itself heard to put an end to the waves of layoffs that swept the world last year, and which did not spare France.

"This strike is symptomatic of the many problems in the sector in general" indicated to Ouest-France the teacher and researcher at the University of Tours, Hovig Ter Minassian, familiar with the JV sector. In addition to the layoffs, the workers are demanding better working conditions and more transparency.

In a press release, the STJV detailed its demands:

In parallel with the economic difficulties of the studios, the period would be transitional. The industry would have gone from a "creative and artisanal" sector to "an industry like any other", cultural industries economist Julien Pillot told Agence France Presse. Spanish employees of French publisher Ubisoft, based in Barcelona, will also join the movement this Thursday, February 13.

In a video shared by the STJV, a contributor to Le Média declared: "There has been a real financialization of video games, poor management and a lack of vision; one of the reasons why we are going on strike is to distribute responsibilities to the bosses."

The STJV union, launched in 2017, has reportedly seen an exponential increase in its membership, representing around twenty French studios. They should soon exceed a thousand, we learn from AFP. To make itself known and denounce what is wrong, the STJV recently shared anonymous testimonies illustrating a very toxic atmosphere. Among the main problems: sexism and homophobia.

Between 12,000 and 15,000 workers in France in video games

The strike movement of this Thursday, February 13 is a first for an entire industry. That said, in September 2024, a first mobilization was held within the Spiders and Kylotonn studios, of the French publisher Nacon. Later, employees of the Don't Nod studio called for several days of strike action for a plan to lay off 69 employees out of the 250 in its Parisian offices.

The 180-degree turn of the sector dates back to 2023, when it came out of the health crisis, when more than 6,000 layoffs were reported in October. Earlier, the sector was still celebrating its growth. In 2020, French video games represented a turnover of 3.5 billion euros, and were the only cultural sector to grow during the health crisis (+21% in 2020).

In 2021, the number of French studios reached 700, and the number of video game companies reached 1,200. Among the trendy studios of major international publishers, names like Asobo Studio, Quantic Dream, and Arkane Studio. Today, the sector employs between 12,000 and 15,000 people in France.