The Grand Est region stands out for its cluster of companies centered around two historic cities: Metz and Strasbourg. Over eighty indie studios form a constellation of independent studios, known for their resilience in the face of industry crises. Established studios like Goblinz Studio (Legend of Keepers) and Flying Oak Games (Neurovoider, Scourgebringer) now share the scene with successful new studios such as Embers (Murky Divers).
Emerging structures make the East of France a particularly dynamic territory, attracting talent back home for its quality of life. Strasbourg, in particular, benefits from a strong visual culture and a network of multidisciplinary artists, expanding the video game scene through connections with other cultural industries.
The Indie Game Contest Professional Meetings is a key event in autumn that brings the video game ecosystem together.
KEY FIGURES
- 🏢 3,8 % of total national video game companies
- 💻 90 % of local studios are indie video game studios
- 🧑💼 + 200 employees from the video game industry
- 🏫 4 specialized schools
- 📶 1 major event held annually
MAIN ACTORS
Studios: Goblinz Studio, Flying Oak Games, Embers, Ernestine, I am a Dog Studio, Cats & Foxes, Toe Bean Club, Neuronality, Dream Powered Games, Red Art Studio
Publishers: Random Bazar, Goblinz Studio, Red Art Games
Service Providers: Ernestine, Jumbo Mana, Almédia, Nice Penguins, Lozange Lab, ExPersona, TVPaint
Schools: Université de Metz – Master Audiovisuel, Médias Interactifs Numériques et Jeux – Parcours Conception de Dispositif Ludique, Université de Strasbourg – Cursus Master Ingénierie « Informatique, Image, Réalité Virtuelle, Interaction et Jeux, E-artsup Strasbourg, Ynov Strasbourg – Formation 3D.
Incubators and Accelerators: Fluxus, SEMIA
Game labs: Université de Metz. Crem, UR 2476 – Equipe Pixel
REGIONAL PUBLIC FUNDINGS
In addition to the Grand Est grant for prototyping, video game companies can also access regional grants that are not specifically dedicated to gaming but are open to it, such as the AMI XR Experiences from the Grand Est Region, the “‘Image Industry Structuring Support” and the Tango & Scan, both from the Eurométropole de Strasbourg.
KEY VIDEO GAME EVENTS
Indie Game Contest, International Competition for Independent Video Games.
The goal of the Indie Game Contest is to highlight the creativity of independent video games. Among hundreds of games submitted, 12 are chosen to be featured in a month-long exhibition taking place in Strasbourg. Its conclusion is both an award ceremony and two days of business meetings for the game creators of our cluster. The people making video games in Grand-Est are invited to mingle, share their experiences, participate in conferences and workshops in this convivial event.
LOCATION & ATTRACTIVENESS
🚊Transport infrastructure: Gare de Strasbourg, Gare de Metz-Ville, Gare de Reims / Bâle Mulhouse Airport.
💡Attractive cities for video game companies: Strasbourg, Metz, Nancy, Reims
THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION
East Games is the cluster of video game professionals in the Grand Est region in France. It brings together more than fifty companies committed to building the local industry. The association supports the development and promotion of local projects while organizing key networking events such as the Indie Game Contest.
🛜 https://eastgames.org/
📧 contact@eastgames.org