What is driving the popularity of Esports in France?

Like many countries, France has seriously opened its doors to esports gaming. Grand View Research recently released a report claiming that the national esports market had already reached $49 million. Looking ahead, the institution expects the market to expand rapidly to reach $128.9 million by 2030.

This comes just a few years after Statista ranked this market in the sixth position globally, further highlighting how widespread esports gaming is in France. Over the years, the industry has continued evolving to allow fans to engage in ways that were never possible before.

Take esports betting, for instance. Although the French Gambling Regulation Authority (ANJ) restricts esports betting in France, video games are becoming widely democratized, allowing consumers of all ages to engage. As such, it won’t be shocking to see ANJ relax its stance, which may lead to the industry’s further growth.

The role of mobile technology

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Verified Market Research values the global mobile esports market at $106 billion. With over 90% of the world’s population owning smartphones, it makes sense for Verified to make such an approximation. Mobile phones have actually become convenient tools for accessing almost everything, including video games. And this is not any different in France.

Of course, you don’t expect things to be different for a country like France, which has about three-quarters of its population using smartphones. To take advantage of these figures, esports companies have been developing games that work well even on smaller screen sizes. You wouldn’t want to visit a platform whose games require continuous zooming or spinning.

Such an experience can be frustrating and even cause you never to return. That’s why responsive games are a non-negotiable. By using flexible layouts and media queries, these games ensure optimal viewing and usability across multiple devices. Remember, the number of smartphone owners in this country could increase in the coming days, providing good grounds for mobile-friendly esports platforms to discover new audiences.

Can you imagine that, according to Business of Apps, there have been over two billion app downloads yearly in France since 2020? Every serious business person will definitely want to take advantage of such a statistic. And that’s precisely what esports companies are doing: developing responsive designs to cater to increased mobile usage, leading to the industry’s further growth.

Everyone is talking security

No one, including video gamers, wants to interact in an environment that could compromise their safety. According to Secureframe, more than eight in ten customers want companies to do more to improve their online privacy. This already puts companies that ignore online safety at a serious risk of losing security-conscious users.

Recovering from an attack is also not easy. Some studies claim that you may lose up to 21% of users who may never transact with you again just because your brand was involved in a security incident. This shows how paying attention to online security has become important and can help an industry advance.

Tight security measures improve trust, which may lead to better retention rates. Fortunately, gaming platforms targeting this region tend to know this quite well, explaining why features like 2FA are common. Although it sounds simple, 2FA can work wonders. According to Microsoft, it can, surprisingly, prevent exposure to up to 100% of automated attacks.

2FA improves security by requiring two different methods of verification, typically something you know (like a password) and something you have (like a phone or authenticator app), when logging into an account. This way, you can always be sure you’re safe, even if your password is compromised.

Innovations and tech that changed the game

You’ve probably had about PSG Esports. Through its pioneering efforts, strategic partnerships and establishment of a dedicated studio, PSG Esports has significantly contributed to the growth of esports in France. This club was one of the first major European football clubs to launch its own esports division in 2016, paving the way for others to follow.

The widespread popularity of high-speed internet connections has also helped the industry advance. According to ARCEP, about 40 million premises in Metropolitan France alone were eligible for fiber by the end of Q3 2024. That’s more than half the country surfing the web with high speed and low latency – ideal conditions for competitive gaming. After all, no gamer would want to play Valorant on a laggy connection or watch a League of Legends final in 480p.

Cloud gaming has also changed how players engage. Gone are the days when you’d need to spend exuberant costs on hardware to get started. With cloud gaming, you can play at a high level even without a top-tier setup. All you need is a solid connection, and you’ll be ready to engage in competitive titles on any device. This is part of why Bonafide Research expects the French cloud gaming market to grow by over 46% CAGR within the next few years.

Put all these factors together, and you have the right recipe for esports success. The popularity of smartphone devices, for instance, ensures that more people can participate. Implementing security features like 2FA improves players’ trust, which encourages them to remain loyal. And with high-speed internet connections dominating the country, players can find more engaging experiences that keep them returning and inviting their friends.