In a surprising twist, French President Emmanuel Macron has taken steps towards mending ties with the gaming community, a group he previously associated with the violent riots that plagued France earlier this year.
Emmanuel Macron took to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, in an attempt to rectify statements he made in June, alluding to video games as a factor that had “intoxicated” some young rioters. These accusations had left a sour taste in the mouths of many within the gaming community, from France and beyond. This included renowned Japanese game director Kastuhiro Harada who expressed his dismay on Twitter, tongue-in-cheek quipping, “blaming something is a great way to escape the burden of responsibility.”
Macron sought to explain his earlier remarks in a unusually lengthy post over the weekend, starting with an admission: “I startled gamers”. He then strived to rectify his earlier misapprehensions and duly acknowledged the gaming world and its industry.
“Video games are an integral part of France,” Macron articulated, underlining his newfound respect for the medium. “I voiced my worries in late June because criminals trivialized violence on social media platforms, echoing themes from their video game habits,” he elaborated. “It’s this violence that I have issues with, not with video games.”
The disturbing riots took root following the fatal police shooting of Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old French-born youth of north African descent, in the suburban area of Nanterre, Paris. Following altercations regarding his reportedly dangerous driving habits, Merzouk was shot once through his left arm and chest, leading to his death.
From Nanterre, the violence quickly rippled outwards. Protests escalated and devolved into a nationwide wave of mayhem, splintering into cities, towns and even villages alike, the chaos heartily embraced on social platforms.
In the heat of the crisis, Macron berated both social networks for their role in fanning the flames of the unrest, and video games for supposedly blurring the lines between reality and fiction for the younger perpetrators.
Among the younger rioters, this led to a “sort of escape from reality. We sometimes have the feeling that some of them are acting out, on the streets, the video games that have intoxicated them,” Macron expressed.
His latest sentiments, however, carry a much more attuned resonance.
“I have always believed that video games hold immense potential for France – for our youths, our future, our job scene, and our economy,” he clarified.
Continuing on this path, he emphasised that the industry “inspires, enthralls, and helps individuals grow!”