French leader Emmanuel Macron highlights Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on Instagram, commending them for embodying French boldness and innovation: "You serve as a radiant symbol of French courage and ingenuity."
In a nod reminiscent of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk handing US President Barack Obama a copy of The Witcher 2, French President Emmanuel Macron is jumping on the "appreciate the cultural significance of video games" train—but this time, he's highlighting home-grown talent. Macron isn't partying with Donald Trump on Steam, but he did shout out to French dev studio Sandfall Interactive for their winning streak with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
"A million copies sold, one of the best-rated games in history—and guess what? It's French," Macron gloated on Instagram (translated). "Props to Sandfall Interactive and all the game whizzes behind Expedition 33. You really put France on the map, mate!"
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been crushing it, both critically and commercially. Steam player counts hovered around 100,000 in the game's launch week, and its 92% Metacritic score is the stuff that devs' dreams are made of. The game nabbed a million sales an eyeblink after its release.
But, like Tusk's diplomatic gift, the real star of the show could be Macron's acknowledgment that video games rock. "Games are just for kids" is a worn-out cliché, but it's also damningly persistent in lighting the wrong fires. Case in point: just a few weeks back, US House Speaker Mike Johnson used video games as an excuse to cut Medicaid—a healthcare program for people with low incomes. And ol' Donnie T himself blamed video games for cultivating a violent culture in his term—more than once!
So, it's refreshing to see another major world leader give video games the props they deserve. And this isn't Macron's first rodeo: just days prior to his shout-out to Expedition 33, he praised French esports org Team Vitality for its CS team's victory at the ESL Grand Slam at the Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025 tournament, labeling their win "spiffy" (OK, we added that part).
Macron's had his struggle with pinning the blame for societal ills on video games. In the midst of France's 2023 summer of riots, ignited by the police killing of a teenager during a traffic stop, Macron said that the youngest rioters seemed "unsteady, like they're living a video game."
Fast-forward a couple of months, though, and he was singing a different tune, clarifying that he was talking about addressing violence—not pinning the blame on video games, which he framed as "culture, entertainment, [and] spectacle!"
In a lengthy Instagram post in 2023, Macron lavished praise on video games, hailing them as a field of artistic experimentation—an exiting learning space that blends music, stories, emotions, time-travel, and visuals. "Playing games means immersing yourself in stories and exploring imaginative universes, adding a new chapter to the history of art," he mused.
"Competitive gaming is a sport, an ecosystem, [with] true professionals, large-scale gatherings, and international tournaments that make history," he added.
Macron signed off with a rousing cheer for French game greats like Assassin's Creed and Dofus: "We're proud of them!"
We cover PC gaming, hardware, and Esports news, reviews, and sales!
Stay in the loop with our roundup of the biggest news stories and the best deals of the week, picked by the crew over at PC Gamer.
- Sandfall Interactive's game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been a global sensation, selling a million copies and receiving critical acclaim.
- French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the game's success on social-media platform Instagram, praising the development studio for their achievement.
- Macron highlighted home-grown talent in the video game industry, comparing Clair Obscur's success to the cultural significance of The Witcher 2.
- In the realm of gaming, Tusk's diplomatic gift pales in comparison to Macron's recognition of video games' value.
- Video games are often dismissed as merely for children, but their impact transcends entertainment and extends into social-media platforms, commerce, and professional esports.
- Despite initial criticism, Macron recognized the artistic merit of video games, likening them to a new chapter in the history of art.
- International tournaments, large-scale gatherings, and true professionals characterize the competitive gaming landscape.
- From team Vitality's CS victory at the ESL Grand Slam to Assassin's Creed and Dofus, France has a rich history of contributing to the gaming world.
- The influence of video games reaches beyond the screen, shaping our culture, entertainment, and social-media interactions, much like the gadgets and technology that enable us to game and connect.
