Video games: a 50-year-old art form honoured at Paris Games Week
It was 1973 when France discovered the Magnavox Odyssey, an astonishing machine capable of transforming television into an object of family entertainment. Around the TV, parents and children compete in a game of tennis where the racket and the ball are respectively a rectangle and a square. 50 years later, video games have become the world's leading entertainment industry.
The games are more accomplished than ever. Whether you're talking about sports, motor racing, action or adventure games, the titles have never been so realistic. In 50 years, games, gamers' habits and the industry have evolved. Today, several French players are helping to preserve the medium. Video games have a history - come and experience it at Paris Games Week 2023.
The Bibliothèque nationale de France: the temple of video games
Did you know that the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) is not just a place for literature? For the past 30 years, the BnF has been helping to preserve our video game heritage by preserving all new video game productions. In the space of three decades, it has collected an incredible number of games on all media. It now manages a collection of over 20,000 titles!
Preserving and democratising video games is at the heart of BnF's work. Come and discover what it is doing on the stand, as well as the photo exhibition "Attraction Virale du Jeu Vidéo" by Odile Gine, winner of the major photojournalism commission from the Ministry of Culture.
Meet the BNF in Pavilion 2
Travel back in time with the MO5 association
For 20 years, the MO5 association has been involved in preserving our computer and video-game heritage. Nearly 25,000 machines have been preserved over the years. It's an exceptional collection, with rare items dating back 50 years! As every year, the association is present at Paris Games Week to transport gamers back in time with a magnificent exhibition of microcomputers and consoles that have left their mark on history.
As usual, the multiplayer centre will be on hand to take you back to the best of multiplayer gaming, with titles such as Mario Kart Double Dash, Mario Strikers, Bomberman (playable with up to 10 players!) and Power Stone, the must-have fighting game for the Dreamcast. Throughout the week, video game personalities and YouTubers will be on hand to share their passion for retrogaming.
Visit the Retrogaming MO5 stand in Pavilion 2
When video games express themselves through artists
Preserving video games also means leaving a trace for future generations. It's through drawings and other works of art that the ARTtitude artists' collective expresses its vision of video games. You can find their work in the official Paris Games Week art gallery. A selection of 40 exclusive works to discover. Throughout the week, come and watch the murals being painted live. It's a unique opportunity to chat with the artists.
And if you'd like to take a souvenir home with you, drop in to the customisation workshop where an ARTtitude member will personalise the object of your choice free of charge.
Visit the ARTtitude gallery in Pavilion 2
