Why Italy Lacks Major Video Game Companies: Lessons from France

The article compares the French and Italian video game industries, using the First Playable event in Florence as a springboard. France has produced iconic games like Another World (1991) and Alone in the Dark (1992), and is now led by Ubisoft with its Assassin's Creed series (200 million copies sold). Italy, despite having had notable studios in the 1980s-90s like Simulmondo (which made games based on Sergio Bonelli Editore characters), lacks a comparable giant. Three key factors explain France's success: synergy with other creative industries (comics, animation), public financial support (tax credit since 2007), and the presence of large companies like Ubisoft that foster talent and advocate for policies. First Playable 2024, organized by IIDEA with Toscana Film Commission, Agenzia ICE, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, featured France as the first country partner, with participation from Institut Français Italia, SNJV, and CNC. The event sold out, indicating demand for networking. Italian developers like Broken Arms Games report that the tax credit (introduced in Italy three years ago) has increased budgets by 25%, enabling hiring and better production. However, Italy's ecosystem of small and medium enterprises may have hindered growth during the CD-ROM era. The article suggests that the entire creative and industrial ecosystem must grow for the video game industry to thrive.