Launch of a new international video games festival

The City of Montpellier will announce its plans for a new international video game festival intended to become the leading global showcase for creative excellence in gaming, alongside Cannes, Annecy, Lille and Clermont-Ferrand in France’s constellation of major screen-sector events.

Half a century after the medium was invented, the video game industry still lacks a globally recognized cultural event of its own. While major public gatherings exist, they remain largely centered on commercial showcases rather than artistic recognition. Building on Montpellier’s position as a leading hub for the French gaming industry, the initiative seeks to establish an international festival dedicated to celebrating video games as a cultural and creative form. The festival is expected to feature an official competition bringing together independent and major-studio title judged on creative merit alone, alongside a professional market for adaptation rights across film, television, publishing and music. A preparatory mission will be launched in autumn 2026 with a view to the first edition in 2028.