More than 1,200 full-time jobs are located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. With sales of over €100 million and more than 130 key players, it is the 3rd largest region in France. These include: Asobo Studio (A Plague Tale and Microsoft Flight Simulator), Ubisoft Bordeaux (Assassin’s Creed Mirage), Motion Twin (Dead Cells), Bulwark Studios (Warhammer 40 000: Mechanicus and Ixion), Gamesplanet, a distribution platform and the publisher Shiro Unlimited,(Northgard, Wartales and Decarnation), developed by the video game studio Shiro Games (Dune: Spice Wars)
Professional events are organized to help workers in the video game industry develop their skills and find funding. These events include Horizon(s), Game Invest in Bordeaux and Angoulême, Game Conf and spawn!
Also, the region hosts the only public video game school in France, Cnam-Enjmin, as well as numerous private schools such as Artside, E-Artsup and 3iS Bordeaux. In addition, the Wizz incubator, created by the Eurekatech Technopole, helps entrepreneurs to set up their business and has contributed to the creation of a dozen studios since 2022.
KEY FIGURES
- 🏢 8,9 % of total national video game companies
- 💻 80 % of local studios are indie video game studios
- 🧑💼1200 employees from the video game industry
- 🏫 10 specialized schools
- 📶 4 major events held annually
MAIN ACTORS
Studios: Ubisoft Bordeaux, Asobo Studio, Shiro Games, Motion Twin, Evil Empire, Bulwark Studios, Kalank Games, Hibernian Workshop
Publishers: Shiro Games, Playwing
Service Providers: Gamesplanet, G4F PROD, HEY! Studios, Apperture, Raccoon Business, Shinypix, Thomas Brunet, Illustrason, Zaka Services
Schools: Cnam-Enjmin, 3iS, Artside, E-Artsup, Brassart, ECV, La Horde,Bordeaux Ynov Campus, Gaming Campus
Incubators and Accelerators: Wizz Incubator by Technopole Eurekatech
REGIONAL PUBLIC FUNDINGS
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region provides a grant for production.
KEY VIDEO GAME EVENTS
Game Invest
Held twice a year in Bordeaux and Angoulême, Game Invest enables studios from Nouvelle-Aquitaine to meet with national and international funders to secure financing.
During one-on-one meetings, video games studios pitch their games to publishers, investors, and banks to raise funds and develop their projects!
Horizon(s)
Created in 2022 in Bordeaux, Horizon(s) aims to bring together industry professionals around key topics, including HR, accounting and financial management, forward-looking insights, and major trends in the video game market during workshops, conferences, and round tables. One-on-one meetings are organized among professionals to create partnerships, find funding or discuss the industry. The event also allows students to meet professionals during masterclasses.
Game Conf
Since 2021, Game Conf is organized by Magelis, the economic development hub for the image industry in Charente, in partnership with SO· Games. Each year, the event gathers more than 200 video game professionals for a day of conferences, panels and case studies in Angoulême! Curated with the insight and experience of independent developers, and programmed by SO·Games, this free event provides an opportunity to explore the industry from a variety of angles, including publishing, marketing, production, and more.
spwan!
spawn! is an event organized in Angoulême in partnership with Cnam-Enjmin, France’s only public video game school. The event is structured around two main highlights: the first day is dedicated to industry professionals, and the second day is open to the general public.
The program includes conferences, panels, game testing, tournaments, playformances, and exhibitions!
LOCATION & ATTRACTIVENESS
🚊Transport infrastructure: Bordeaux Airport, Gare de Bordeaux, Gare d’Angoulême, Gare de La Rochelle
💡Attractive cities for video game companies: Bordeaux, Angoulême, La Rochelle
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region offers an attractive living environment with a wide variety of landscapes (beaches, mountains, forests) and a mild climate, making it a pleasant place to live. With strong support for research and innovation, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a fertile ground for technological and creative projects, backed by numerous universities and research centers. It is also rich in historical and cultural heritage, with events, festivals, and a vibrant arts scene. The region offers a wide range of cultural and sports activities, as well as diverse leisure options, allowing for a dynamic social life.
THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION
SO· Games is the association of video game professionals in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. More than 100 organizations are working throughout the region, from Poitiers to Pau, passing by Bordeaux, Angoulême, La Rochelle, Brive-la-Gaillarde and Limoges !
Their main missions are to:
- Develop the industry in the region, by focusing on digital sobriety, education, orientation, investment, events and inclusivity
- Promote our members and their projects, as well as local and national events
- Support structures in their growth, skills development and search for funding
- Attract new talent and companies to the region.
🛜 https://www.sogames.org/
📧 contact@sogames.org