(1888PressRelease)
April 22, 2008 - France’s expertise in 3D imaging is demonstrated by its video-game sector, which is experiencing robust growth. In 2007, the size of the French video-game market grew to €2 billion, an increase of 10% compared with the previous year.
Three French companies already figure amongst the world’s Top 15 publishers of video games – Vivendi Universal Games, UbiSoft and Atari/Infogrames. France also has two of the primary producers of mobile-phone games – Gameloft and Zenops. Around 60 independent French studios (including Darkworks, WideScreen Games, Hydravision, Quantic Dreams and Monte Cristo) currently make their talent and technical skill available to producers all over the world.
Numerous international companies have chosen to set up in France. US company Electronic Arts has based its French subsidiary employing 60 staff in Lyons. Studios and producers from the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea that have chosen France as their launch pad for the European market include Codemasters, Koei France, Konami France, Namco Bandai, NCSoft, Freeze Interactive and Gravity.
Supporting the video-game industry is a priority for the French government and its crédit d’impôt création (tax credit for new businesses) grants a deduction of up to 20% on production costs for specific innovative games. Moreover, France has introduced the best tax-credit system available in Europe to companies willing to invest in R&D projects – 50% of R&D costs can be reimbursed the first year.
In addition, 3-D applications are also being developed in industry. French software company Catia, which is owned by Dassault Systèmes, is the world leader in computer-assisted design (CAD), and has created an entirely virtual platform of the new Dassault Falcon 7X plane. Within the automotive industry, Peugeot Citroën SA has created CAVE, an innovative 3D immersion system. Danish company ESoft Systems, which specializes in advanced visualization (360-degree effect) of properties on real-estate internet sites, recently chose France to open its first international office.
French competitiveness clusters (pôles de compétitivité) such as Cap Digital in the Ile-de-France, Imaginove in Rhône-Alpes, and Images et Réseaux in Brittany are all giving strong support to research and education in this field.
“The production of 3D images is essentially based on qualified talent and digital technology, which is helped by the mobility of production factors such as skilled personnel, all of which can be found in France. France abounds with creative and innovative talent in new technologies,” says Philippe Favre, CEO of Invest in France Agency.
About Invest in France
The Invest in France Agency (IFA) promotes and facilitates international investment in France. The IFA network operates worldwide. IFA works in partnership with regional development agencies to offer international investors business opportunities and customized services all over France.
For more information about this press release, please contact Martin Hedges, Director of Communications at the Invest in France Agency in London: mhedges ( @ ) investinfrance dot org dot
For further information, please go to: www.investinfrance.org.
