A French author has published what is perhaps the most comprehensive book yet about the history of videogaming. Although Californians may be used to gushy comparisons of game designers and great artists, author Daniel Ichbiah's assertion in his book Bâtisseurs de Rêves (Dream Makers) that those working in the digital realm are the "children of Kandinsky, Homer, and Chaplin" has made waves in Figaro and La Tribune, which have published favorable reviews.
Also making waves is Ichbiah's proposal that a boost to the French videogame industry may just help bring France out of an economic malaise. Pointing out that Nintendo outpaced the sales revenue of all the major Hollywood studios in 1992, Ichbiah then pushes another point: "The videogame is the only area of intellectual works in which France exports more than half of its production!"
Ichbiah, whose biography on Bill Gates was published worldwide, feels that even in France the population tends to ignore the work of French designers, a hindrance in pushing the industry forward. "People here seem to ignore that our games development is so strong. Part of the reason is that the titles are in English," Ichbiah said in an email to Wired News.
Frederic Madre, a French writer who runs a mailing list dedicated to contemporary art, seems to be just the type of person Ichbiah is out to convert. "My opinion is that French videogames suck, but that's me," says Madre.
An online English-language translation of Ichbiah's introduction was announced Wednesday.
Fan Captures History of Games' Early Creators
by John Alderman
