France Bans English Gaming Words Including “Esports” & “Streamer”

France Bans English Gaming Words Including “Esports” & “Streamer”

French officials earlier this week passed legislation that would ban the use of certain modern English words and terms related to video games and esports. This decision has been made amidst the growing popularity of streaming and competitive gaming, something that is well-evidenced by landmark moves like Snoop Dogg’s joining of FaZe Clan.
Although video game content and related events have been increasing in popularity over the past few years, things like esports competitions and streaming are not without their restrictions. Twitch famously cracked down on the infamous boom in hot tub streams, wherein streamers would carefully walk the line of the platform’s content guidelines. When it comes to the competitive realm, there are generally rules against the use of certain language, such as threats, alongside clear-cut restrictions about cheating during matches. Violating the rules of any competitive or streaming platform will often result in lengthy or even permanent bans. Of course, streamers are also beholden to the laws of their local government, with China recently banning Elden Ring on streaming platforms.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
The French government has also decided to increase its involvement in the world of high-profile gaming by banning certain terms and words, as explained by a recent article from The Guardian. To preserve the French language against what is being called “degradation” by way of English influence, French officials from the Ministry of Culture and other authorities now require official government documents to replace terms like “pro-gamer” with “joueur professionnel.” Terms like “streamer” and “esports” must also be replaced with “joueur-animateur en direct” and “jeu video de competition,” respectively. The ministry noted that the primary objective of this push is to improve general communication amongst the French population, as there are many who may not be familiar with English gaming-related terms.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1535570269372-ccr2’); });

France bans English gaming tech jargon in push to preserve language purity https://t.co/IZVNgxekcr
— The Guardian (@guardian) May 31, 2022

Restrictions from gaming companies are nothing new, as gamers will frequently be banned from games like Valorant for violating terms of service or contributing to a toxic atmosphere, but government involvement may be something that is less familiar to gamers. Understandably, this decision from the French Ministry of Culture could be seen as negative towards the esports industry, which may upset those involved in competitive gaming, especially in France. On the other hand, making the language as clear as possible in French is beneficial to some of the population unfamiliar with English or esports terminology, so it could help widen the demographics for those who understand the still-burgeoning competitive gaming scene.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1535570269372-ccr3’); });

This move from the French government is a bit unusual, but it’s important to reiterate that this will not impact players directly, and will only apply to the phrasing of internal government documents. Because of this limitation of the ban, it will be interesting to see how sprawling its impact ultimately turns out to be across esports and other online gaming spheres.
Source: The Guardian, TheGuardian/Twitter

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1550597677810-0’); });

#France #Bans #English #Gaming #Words #Including #Esports #Streamer

France Bans English Gaming Words Including “Esports” & “Streamer”

French officials earlier this week passed legislation that would ban the use of certain modern English words and terms related to video games and esports. This decision has been made amidst the growing popularity of streaming and competitive gaming, something that is well-evidenced by landmark moves like Snoop Dogg’s joining of FaZe Clan.
Although video game content and related events have been increasing in popularity over the past few years, things like esports competitions and streaming are not without their restrictions. Twitch famously cracked down on the infamous boom in hot tub streams, wherein streamers would carefully walk the line of the platform’s content guidelines. When it comes to the competitive realm, there are generally rules against the use of certain language, such as threats, alongside clear-cut restrictions about cheating during matches. Violating the rules of any competitive or streaming platform will often result in lengthy or even permanent bans. Of course, streamers are also beholden to the laws of their local government, with China recently banning Elden Ring on streaming platforms.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
The French government has also decided to increase its involvement in the world of high-profile gaming by banning certain terms and words, as explained by a recent article from The Guardian. To preserve the French language against what is being called “degradation” by way of English influence, French officials from the Ministry of Culture and other authorities now require official government documents to replace terms like “pro-gamer” with “joueur professionnel.” Terms like “streamer” and “esports” must also be replaced with “joueur-animateur en direct” and “jeu video de competition,” respectively. The ministry noted that the primary objective of this push is to improve general communication amongst the French population, as there are many who may not be familiar with English gaming-related terms.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1535570269372-ccr2’); });

France bans English gaming tech jargon in push to preserve language purity https://t.co/IZVNgxekcr
— The Guardian (@guardian) May 31, 2022

Restrictions from gaming companies are nothing new, as gamers will frequently be banned from games like Valorant for violating terms of service or contributing to a toxic atmosphere, but government involvement may be something that is less familiar to gamers. Understandably, this decision from the French Ministry of Culture could be seen as negative towards the esports industry, which may upset those involved in competitive gaming, especially in France. On the other hand, making the language as clear as possible in French is beneficial to some of the population unfamiliar with English or esports terminology, so it could help widen the demographics for those who understand the still-burgeoning competitive gaming scene.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1535570269372-ccr3’); });

This move from the French government is a bit unusual, but it’s important to reiterate that this will not impact players directly, and will only apply to the phrasing of internal government documents. Because of this limitation of the ban, it will be interesting to see how sprawling its impact ultimately turns out to be across esports and other online gaming spheres.
Source: The Guardian, TheGuardian/Twitter

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1550597677810-0’); });

#France #Bans #English #Gaming #Words #Including #Esports #Streamer