Discover the French Video Game Touch: Six Companies Selected to Explore the California Market in 2026
New Media
From March 3 to 11, 2026, ICC Immersion United States will welcome representatives from six French companies selected by a French-American expert jury to participate in a 10-day learning expedition in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
There, they will meet with key industry players and learn from experts on technical, creative, marketing, and social topics.
The studio representatives will have an accreditation pass to participate in the Game Developer Conference (March 9-13), the game industry’s premier professional event that takes place annually in San Francisco.
ICC Immersion is supported by the French Government (Secrétariat général pour l’investissement, ministère de la Culture, ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères and Banque des Territoires) within the framework of France 2030. Led by Institut français and Business France, the program is implemented by Business France in North America and Villa Albertine.
ICC Immersion United States will offer an initial phase of remote market preparation, followed by an eight-day immersion program in California.
Learn more about ICC Immersion here.
“California Dreaming”
The United States is the world’s leading video game market in terms of value and a strategic market for French video games. In recent years, video games have emerged as a fully recognized artistic discipline. Reflecting this evolution, they have been integrated into Villa Albertine’s residency program since 2021.
The program has supported and showcased notable laureates such as Mélanie Courtinat, Accidental Queens, Damien Montaron, Sam Buttin, Sandrine Deumier, and Tatiana Villela Dos Santos as well as initiatives like the Digital Playground program. Villa Albertine has also developed collaborations with Games for Change, notably through the Game Changer program in 2025.
The video game industry in the United States is made up of several types of players from production studios and publishers to distributors and arcades. California is the leading state in terms of employment in the field and alone accounts for almost half of the value generated by the industry in the United States.
Key Goals of ICC Immersion
- Participate in the internationalization of the French video game industry and introduce French studios to American publishers, financiers, and key contacts in the industry; learn from the best practices of American studios; and understand the practices of American gamers.
- Raise awareness in the US about the diversity and uniqueness of French video game players and promote France’s attractiveness in the industry.
- Promote French intellectual property to American studios.
- Encourage French studios to make progress on societal issues such as the feminization of the industry, diversity, impact gaming, and sustainable development.
A Tailor-Made Program for French Creation
Participants will be invited to attend the following exchanges:
- The program will include presentations on the American and French gaming ecosystems, a masterclass, a keynote speech, and a workshop with key American industry players.
- It will also feature meetings with platforms, publishers, studios, and producers, bringing together agents and artists.
- Participants will take part in networking events in Los Angeles, including a reception at the French Consulate Residence on March 5 as well as a special “Beyond Play” evening for the French–American community during the GDC festival on March 8 in San Francisco.
- The program will be complemented by site visits in Los Angeles and San Francisco, including at Twitch, Ubisoft, CAA, Disney, and Netflix Games.
The 2026 Laureates
Contact
Camille Jeanjean, New Media Officer, Villa Albertine: camille.jeanjean@villa-albertine.org
Chaima Qrita, Tech Development Officer, Business France: chaima.qrita@businessfrance.fr
In partnership with
Institut français
The Institut français is responsible for France’s international cultural program. Supervised by both the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and by the Ministry of Culture, it promotes French culture abroad through cultural exchange initiatives. Operating in a space where the arts, intellectual exchange, cultural and social innovation, and linguistic partnerships interact and intersect, it is also responsible for promoting the French language and the sharing of works, artists, and ideas all over the world. The Institut français is one of Villa Albertine’s main French partners.
Business France
Business France is responsible for the international development of French companies, international investments in France and the economic promotion of France.