Since May 21, all 18-year-olds living in France can obtain a €300 loan as part of the Culture Pass initiative. They can spend money on different cultural activities and products. And now Microsoft has announced that it will also offer them free access to Xbox Game Pass for PC.

Ubisoft has introduced a new evaluation attribute for its employees called “Act as a role model.” The staff, however, demand the removal of it, saying that it might be used in favor of abusers.

French publisher Nacon announced that it has acquired 100% of the Ishtar Games studio. This deal will also include the launch of the new Ishtar label, which will “develop the creation and marketing of high-potential “independent” games.”

French publisher Voodoo has announced a new competition for game prototypes, open to all studios worldwide. From October 10th to December 10th, studios can enter an unlimited number of prototypes for the chance to win $1 million or more.

Chicago, Illinois–based developer Young Horses (Bugsnax, Octodad: Dadliest Catch) switched to four-day workweeks in July in the hopes of achieving a healthier work-life balance.

A new studio called 2.21 has been announced in Paris. It’s co-founded by Didier Chanfray, the creator of classic franchise Little Big Adventure. The studio is about to start the production of a new game in the series, although it’s unclear whether it will be a sequel or reboot.

Creating a better work-life balance has been a topic of discussion in the games industry for a while. Dontnod and Fingersoft have become the latest studios to make steps in this direction by introducing new policies to make their employees’ work more comfortable.

Shiro Games, the France-based developer of Northgard and Evoland, has launched a new publishing label called Shiro Unlimited.

UK-based indie publisher Kasedo Games has become the majority shareholder in French developer Bulwark Studios.

Quantic Dream announced they are teaming with Paris-based developer Parallel Studio to work on an “ambitious new title” featuring “narrative, atmospheric, and poetic cinematography”.

Joining us today for a quick but thoughtful recap of 2020 is Jehanne Rousseau, founder and CEO of French indie studio Spiders.

Hyper-casual giant Voodoo has won a court case against Istanbul-based publisher Rollic Games, which is owned by Zynga, and developer Hero Games. According to Voodoo’s claims, Hero Games copied key elements of Voodoo’s hit Woodturning.

French publisher Nacon has responded to the open letter posted by The Sinking City developer Frogwares.

Chinese giant Tencent acquired a minority stake in Voodoo, French hyper-casual developer and publisher. Following the deal, Voodoo is valued at $1.4 billion.

Thomas Altenburger, one of the two devs behind the French indie studio Flying Oak Games (best known for NeuroVoider, Dead End, and Hoy), has posted a thread on Twitter discussing strategies for a great pitch.

It’s that time of year again. With Christmas and New Year’s just around the corner, we caught up with Jehanne Rousseau, CEO at French indie studio Spiders, to reflect on what 2019 meant for the company and its latest hit GreedFall.

What is the gamedev scene like in France? The French Video Game Trade Association has posted the findings of its annual survey conducted in collaboration with IDATE DigiWorld.

The French version of CS: GO now has an X-ray feature that allows users to scan loot boxes and see their contents before making a purchase. You would think Valve is making the lootbox mechanic less exploitative, but not it’s not quite as straightforward.

Four years ago, a French consumer group called UFC-Que Choisir sued Valve over Steam’s Subscriber Agreement. UFC Que Choisir found some of its clauses to be in breach of consumer law.