The French National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC) announced on Friday, October 23, 2026, exceptional aid of €1,5 million for French video game studios. This new program is intended to finance the creation of additional content for games already on the market. This measure comes at a time when the French industry is going through a difficult period, marked by layoffs, studio closures, and ever-increasing international competition.
The French video game industry is receiving new financial support. At Paris Games Week, held until Sunday, October 25th at the Porte de Versailles, the CNC (National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image) announced the launch of an exceptional call for projects with a budget of €1,5 million. Unlike traditional funding for the creation of new games, this initiative specifically targets additional content developed for titles already available on the market. It will notably finance downloadable expansions, commonly known as DLC, as well as updates and events integrated into existing games. The goal is to allow studios to extend the commercial lifespan of their productions while maintaining the activity of their creative and technical teams. Interested companies can submit their applications until December 14, 2026. Projects will then be evaluated based on their artistic quality, technical feasibility, and economic prospects.
This decision comes at a particularly challenging time for the French video game industry. After several years of strong growth, notably during the Covid-19 pandemic, the sector is experiencing a slowdown in investment and an increase in production costs. Developing some games now requires several years of work and considerable budgets, while their commercial success remains difficult to predict. Several companies have been forced to reduce staff, postpone projects, or close down. For independent studios, which generally have more limited financial resources, the situation can be particularly precarious. By supporting the production of new content for already released games, the CNC (National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image) aims to encourage a strategy that can generate additional revenue without systematically requiring the launch of a new, large-scale project.
Additional support to preserve French creativity
The announced €1,5 million comes in addition to the €5 million annual budget of the Video Game Support Fund, bringing the total resources pooled by these two funds to €6,5 million. For nearly twenty years, this fund has supported French studios through the various stages of creation, from initial concept to production. The CNC (National Center for Cinema and the Moving Image) also intervenes through the video game tax credit, which allows eligible companies to benefit from a tax advantage equal to 30% of certain production expenses, up to a limit of €6 million per company per fiscal year. These mechanisms aim to strengthen the competitiveness of studios based in France against international players. However, the new call for projects introduces a different focus: it is no longer just about helping companies create new works, but also about supporting the exploitation of those they have already developed.
This development reflects the transformations in the global video game market. Additional content now plays a significant role in the business models of many publishers, who seek to retain players months, or even years, after a game's release. Narrative expansions, new characters, additional game modes, and limited-time events allow them to renew the player experience while generating new revenue. For French studios, these supplementary productions can also help stabilize employment between major projects. The CNC's announcement comes as Paris Games Week showcases the creations and expertise of the French industry, notably through the Game France pavilion. It remains to be seen how many studios will actually benefit from this funding and which projects will be selected. While this funding alone will not be enough to resolve the sector's economic difficulties, it represents additional support for French companies seeking to continue their operations and develop their creations in an increasingly competitive market.
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