He was one of the stars of the first confinement.
However, the video game did not immediately join the list of essential cultural products established by the government for the third confinement in force in 16 departments.
After a weekend of great vagueness, some video game stores may well open, confirmed an official decree.
“The good news of the weekend, confirmed this Monday morning, is that the rule of law means that we can sell video games.
There was a rectification following the words of the Prime Minister, who had announced the book and the record as being the only so-called essential cultural goods, ”Nicolas Vignolles, general delegate of the Syndicate of leisure software publishers, told AFP. (SELL).
Wind up against the government after the announcements of Jean Castex, the video game sector had deplored Friday a difference in treatment between the cultural industries, while booksellers and record stores were classified by the government as essential stores.
Hesitant brands
A decree favorable to the opening of video game stores appeared in the Official Journal on Saturday, but the complexity of the system did not immediately clear up the doubts of professionals.
The Fnac stores seemed to hesitate.
At first, they announced that their departments "games / toys" and "video games, except console" would remain closed in the reconfigured areas, noted Monday morning on Twitter the specialized youtubeur Julien Chièze.
But just after, Olivier Garcia, product director of the brand, replied on the social network that these shelves were "well again available", adding that the "application decree published on Saturday" was "relaxed" compared to the list of essential businesses decreed on October 29 by the government, during the previous confinement.
FYI, the message still visible this morning was even clearer concerning video games ... but has since been changed.
Are we heading for easing?
Someone from @Fnac @ oliviergarcia75 to enlighten us?
Thanks in advance 👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/Rgli0Pmh5t
- Julien Chièze (@JulienChieze) March 22, 2021
The latter authorizes the sale of video games in stores of less than 400 m2 and surfaces of more than 400 m2, under the activity "retail sale of computers, peripheral units and software in specialized stores. ".
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"It is on the basis of this decree that Fnac opened its specialized departments", explains Mr. Vignolles.
Conversely, video game stores located in closed shopping centers will keep the curtain down.
A situation that affects, for example, the Micromania brand, which has a strong presence in shopping malls.
Record year for the video game industry
Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday a new four-week confinement for sixteen departments, including Paris and its region, in the face of the progression of the Covid-19 epidemic.
In addition to Ile-de-France, the Hauts-de-France region as well as the Alpes-Maritimes, Seine-Maritime and Eure departments are concerned.
The most visible change concerns the closure since Saturday of 90,000 businesses deemed non-essential.
Dynamic cultural sector driven in particular by the confinement effect, the video game industry recorded in France in 2020 a turnover up 11.3%, to 5.3 billion euros, according to a SELL study.
For comparison, the book market generated nearly € 4 billion in revenue in 2020, according to Gfk.