SO· Games is a trade association representing beyond 100 pioneering game-making companies in South West France, including Ubisoft Bordeaux, Asobo Studio, G4F, Gamesplanet and many more! Our mission: evolve the industry, promote our studios and attract talents to the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine has firmly established itself as one of the key regions in France for the video game industry. Ranking as the 3rd largest region in the country for this sector, it boasts an impressive ecosystem that continues to grow and innovate.
The region has over 1,200 full-time jobs, showcasing its capacity to attract talent across various disciplines, from game design to programming, art and marketing. With over 100 million euros in sales and over 130 key stakeholders—ranging from freelance, independent video game studios to major video game studios—Nouvelle-Aquitaine has cultivated a dynamic network that fosters collaboration and creativity. Moreover, the Region actively supports the industry with production funding programs, to help studios develop their projects.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine's commitment to the video game industry positions it as a hub for creative talent, contributing to the national and global growth of this thriving sector.
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region extends from Biarritz to Poitiers, including Bordeaux, Angoulême and La Rochelle, which are the three major video game hubs in the southwest of France.
Bordeaux
➤ Major Studios and Success Stories
- Ubisoft Bordeaux, established in 2017, has quickly grown to employ over 400 people and contribute to iconic franchises. Its achievements include developing Assassin’s Creed Mirage—winner of the Pégases Public Prize and has led to exhibitions in Bordeaux and Paris—and collaborating on Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The studio also plays key roles in projects such as Beyond Good & Evil 2 and BattleCore Arena.
- Asobo Studio, founded in 2002, has over 300 employees and has a remarkable track record of success. Their critically acclaimed games include A Plague Tale: Innocence (which won 6 Pégases), A Plague Tale: Requiem (4 Pégases) and Microsoft Flight Simulator (Best Sim/Strategy Game of the Year at The Game Awards and 3 Pégases), With 24 games released, the video game studio have sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Asobo combines creativity and technology, also spearheading innovation through its HoloForge division, which leverages augmented, mixed, and virtual reality for professional solutions in collaboration with Microsoft on projects like Fragments, RoboRaid, and HoloTour.
- Shiro Games (est. 2012), with a team of 70+ employees, has made its mark with titles like Evoland, Northgard, Wartales, and Dune: Spice Wars. These games have won awards such as the Pégases for Technological Innovation and the DICE Award for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year.
- Motion Twin (est. 2001) is known for the hit game Dead Cells, winner of the Best Action Game award at The Game Awards 2018. With over 10 million units sold by 2023, the game has been expanded with 4 DLCs. Now the studio continues to innovate with titles like Windblown.
- Evil Empire (est. 2019), with 70 employees, continued on Dead Cells’ legacy by developing DLCs and developing new projects like The Rogue Prince of Persia.
➤ A growing network of studios & independent developers
Bordeaux is home to mid-sized studios like Umanimation & Un Je Ne Sais Quoi (Dordogne), Hectiq (Los Pingheros) and Komet Xperience (The Rift), and smaller studios such as:
- Nova-box (Seers Isle, End of Lines)
- Manufacture 43 (Pawarumi, City Ambulance: Rescue Express)
- Damnatio Games (Heat & Run)
- PUNKCAKE Délicieux (Shotgun King, Stray Shot, Hot Wax)
- Primal Seed (Never Mourn)
- Empreintes Studio (Camp Fire)
- & many more!
Many independent developers are also based in Bordeaux, such as Deepnight Games (Nuclear Blaze, Tenjutsu), Orage Games (UNDER DEATH), Bureau 81 (The Operator), or Pataya (Judofuri). Meanwhile, service providers like the composer Thomas Brunet (Chants of Sennaar) offer expertise to support game development.
➤ Educational institutions and platforms
Bordeaux supports talent growth through numerous training programs and schools such as Gaming Campus, e-art sup, 3iS Bordeaux for students, or Art Factory for professionals.
It also includes Gamesplanet, a distribution platform that brings together developers and gamers from all over the world.
Angoulême
Angoulême is a cornerstone of Nouvelle-Aquitaine's video game ecosystem, offering a dynamic blend of mid-sized studios, independent developers, and educational resources.
➤ From mid-sized studios to independent creators:
- Bulwark Studios, established in 2012, employing over 20 talented professionals, is known for critically acclaimed titles like Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus and Ixion.
- Kalank Games (est. 2017) currently employs 20 people. The video game studio has developed Miraculous Rise of the Sphinx and Toko Toko, and worked on over 30 projects, ranging from indie games to XR experiences and contributions to larger titles.
- Rebound Capital Games, founded in 2017 is specializing in sports and competitive gameplay. With 10+ employees, they have developed Tennis Manager and are working on FuryBall.
- Hibernian Workshop (est. 2017) are the creators of Dark Devotion and Astral Ascent, whose success went through a kickstarter before reaching more than 4,000 reviews on Steam .
There are also many other studios, such as Seed by Seed (Baladins), Swing Swing Submarine (Seasons after fall, Looking for Fael), Headbang Club (Double Kick Heroes, DeathTower), Opia Games (The Lone Blade), La Poule Noire (Edgar - Bokbok in Boulzac, To Hell With The Ugly), and independent creators like Jeanne Prigent (Pyrene), chariospirale (Sol Cesto), Hookaria Games (Tower of Spirit), Doot & Blibloop (Minami Lane).
➤ And more!
The Wizz incubator, which was set up by Technopole Eurekatech, has helped create a dozen studios since its launch, providing the essential resources and mentoring needed for start-ups to grow.
The Cnam-Enjmin, the only public video game school in France, is located in Angoulême. This institution is training the next generation of game developers, and attracts new talent to the region.
In addition, G4F PROD, a renowned service provider, supports game development with high-quality production services.
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is emerging as a vibrant hub within Nouvelle-Aquitaine's thriving video game ecosystem, combining independent developers, and the studio Tower Five.
Founded in 2017, Tower Five has quickly established itself with a team of 20+ employees and a strong focus on high-quality productions. The studio has released Empire of the Ants, which gained significant attention by earning three nominations at the Gamescom 2024 awards.
La Rochelle also counts a growing community of independent developers, whose projects showcase creativity: Louis Rigaud (Lava Loop), Algost (Dice of Olympus), GFX47 (Echoes of the Architects)
