The first edition of the Cannes Gaming Festival will take place in October 2023 at the Palais des Festivals. This international event is organized by the Auditoire agency and Robin Leproux.
After cinema, audiovisual programs, series and advertising, the city of Cannes is preparing to host a new international event dedicated to a medium: video games. The first edition of the Cannes Gaming Festival will take place in October 2023 at the Palais des Festivals, its organizers announced to Figaro. Opening ceremony, climb of the steps, award ceremony, prestigious jury and festive evenings are on the program of this event designed by Robin Leproux (former number 2 of the M6 group) and the Auditoire agency. “We want to create the benchmark ceremony to celebrate the creators of video gamessays Robin Leproux.
The gaming industry already has the Game Awards evening, organized at the end of each year in the United States, while French creation has its Pegasus ceremony. But if the first gets closer to the Oscars and the second to the Césars, “we want to be the Palme d’or of video games“, he continues. Above all, the Cannes Gaming Festival will include from 2024 a fair dedicated to the general public as well as professional meetings on the sidelines of the award ceremony.
Read alsoPegasus ceremony: the French video game makes its cinema
In the spring, the organizers won a call for tenders organized by the city of Cannes, which is co-owner of the brand. This contract is for a period of five years and provides for a five-day event with several activities within the Côte d’Azur commune. “The ambition is to install this event over time and not seek short-term profitability.», explains Antoine de Tavernost, managing director of the event agency Auditoire. The event will be financed by public and private actors, but not directly by the video game industry.
A prestigious and festive ceremony
The first edition will focus on the awards ceremony. And the organizers are thinking big. “We are planning a big festive parade with 200 to 300 cosplayers [personnes déguisées en personnages de fiction, ndlr]then an innovative stair climb including augmented reality», explains Antoine de Tavernost.
The ceremony will becommented live on the Internet by four or five major streamers from several countries who will be present in the room“. They alone should guarantee an audience of at least 20 million people. The video stream can also be freely taken over by any content creator on Twitch or YouTube. “The online experience will be enriched and spectators will have an impact on the ceremony“, promises Antoine de Tavernost, without revealing more. The evening will end with a party.
Read alsoInfluencers sow discord in Cannes
The Cannes Gaming Festival will award around ten prizes, rewarding the best soundtrack, the best screenplay, the best independent game… The nominees will be chosen by a pre-selection committee, made up in particular of specialized journalists. “We need to be legitimate in the eyes of the playersexplains Robin Leproux. The competition is open to all styles of video games, whether for consoles, mobile, big budget or independent. Then a jury, “which should include leading international personalities», will designate the winners. “The fact that the city of Cannes is involved in the project facilitates discussions“, he underlines.
The professional component, planned for 2024, will mix players from the video game industry with artists, athletes, musicians, and above all brands already more or less involved in the world of gaming. Round tables, case studies, product launches and meetings on the beaches and luxury hotels of Cannes will be on the program. “We want to make France a major destination for video games“recalls Antoine de Tavernost.