Are video games ‘essential culture’? French lockdown stirs debate


A man inside a video game store in Paris on March 22, 2021. Video games, not cited as an essential cultural asset by the government like books or records, finally joined the list of authorised businesses in areas affected by the re-containment, one of the unions in the sector announced. — AFP

PARIS: Confusion over France’s new partial lockdown has accidentally reignited an old debate: are video games works of art or just another computer product?

France, proud of its long history as a bastion of culture, added book and record stores to its list of essential services allowed to stay open when the lockdown came into force in 16 different regions including Paris on Saturday.

Get 30% off with our ads free Premium Plan!

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM9.73 only

Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month
RM8.63/month

Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters.

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Tech News

South Korean team develops ‘Iron Man’ robot that helps paraplegics walk
TikTok's rise from fun app to US security concern
Jeff Bezos says most people should take more risks. Here’s the science that proves he’s right
Musk, president? Trump says 'not happening'
Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains – and bots
How tech created a ‘recipe for loneliness’
How data shared in the cloud is aiding snow removal
Trump appoints Bo Hines to presidential council on digital assets
Do you have a friend in AI?
Japan's antitrust watchdog to find Google violated law in search case, Nikkei reports

Others Also Read