Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron found himself in the headlines across the gaming world following remarks about a potential ban on violent video games during an interview with Brut.
“When [gamers] spend 5-6 hours a day killing people and constantly acting within a logic of violence, it is obvious that at some point it affects them,” a rough translation of Macron’s statement reads. “Therefore, when they go outside or are in class and get angry about something, they completely lose control and sometimes commit the most terrible acts.”
It didn’t take long for Macron’s remarks to raise backlash within the online gaming community, with many players expressing concerns over the possibility of tighter restrictions on video games.
In response to the backlash, Macron took to his official X handle on Saturday to clarify his earlier remarks.
“I’ve (once again) made gamers lose it,” Macron said in his X post, before claiming that he has always “supported” video games and pop culture.
“I have put French esports in the spotlight at the Élysée and made commitments to structure the sector and attract major events to France, which we have done.”
However, he also raised concerns about the impact that “certain content” within the gaming landscape may be having on younger audiences.
“Parents’ observation is that some young people spend their days and sometimes their nights playing,” a translated version of his post reads. “It has also often been pointed out that games rated PEGI 18 are played by children.”
“This is a major issue of public health, education, and responsibility. For physical health, especially the eyes, and mental health, when a young person no longer goes out at all because they play excessively, of course, it is worrying, and we must take it seriously.”
Lastly, he reassured gamers that what he had announced in his prior interview with Brut was “not a ban on video games,” but the “launch of a scientific, collective work to look reality in the face.”
France’s National Council on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology will lead a study on violent video games in collaboration with independent experts in the near future, aiming to “scientifically assess the impact on children and adolescents.” The findings are expected to be released around May or June, after which French authorities will determine what, if any, regulatory actions should be taken regarding such games.