Quebec says 'non' to English-only video games

The French Canadian government of Quebec is saying non to English-only video games if French versions are available.

French language rules on video games come into force on April 1, prohibiting the sale of new English-only video games in Quebec if a French version is available.

Great Seal of Quebec.

(Credit: Quebec, Canada)

Is this a smart move to get more video games into the hands of French speakers? Or, is it misguided, xenophobic protectionism? I'm going with the latter.

One of the many reasons this is such a bad idea is that game companies can simply stop creating French versions of games to bypass this ridiculous law. I'm not sure how big a market there is for video games in French, but I suspect any kind of regulation that forces game development companies to abide such rules would quickly force their hand to decide if it was worth it to carry on with multiple languages.

One retailer profiled in the Toronto Star alluded to the fact that the delay in getting games to players (assuming the French version came out after the English version) would affect his business dramatically:

"I'm afraid it's going to cost me my business," Ronnie Rondeau said. "If it really was going to make a difference, I'd be for it, but only a small number of people want to play in French. The rest don't care."

If the issue for retailers is really the timely delivery of the French version then this suggests there is a market opportunity for cloud gaming platforms such as Steam to figure out ways to offer new games in multiple languages.

Via GamaSutra

Update 1:35 p.m. PDT: I got some helpful background information from the editor of JOUEZ.com:

In 1977, the Charter of the French Language, also known as Bill 101, defined French as the only official language of Quebec and framing fundamental language rights of all Quebecers. In 1997, this law was amended so that every product sold in Quebec must include packaging, instructions and warranty certificates in French. Since then, all computer software, including game software and operating systems, whether installed or uninstalled, must be available in French unless no French version exists. Video games publishers were given a six-year grace period to comply. Since 2003, video games are now available with French packaging/booklets/warranties.

In 2007, the Quebec government finalized a deal with the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, to increase the number of video games available in French in Quebec. Activision Blizzard, Disney Interactive Studios, Electronic Arts, Microsoft Canada, Nintendo of Canada, Sony Computer Entertainment Canada, Take2 Interactive, THQ and Ubisoft Canada, who are all members of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, agreed that they would be able to offer their next-generation games with French content before April 1, 2009, if such a version exists elsewhere in the world.

After this deal was announced in 2007, the number of bilingual games raised significantly. For example, in 2007, only 17 percent of Xbox 360 games were available in French in Quebec. Today, half of the Xbox 360 library (about 190 titles out of 380) is available in French in Quebec. Almost every new AAA release is now bilingual or multilingual. Games that are only available in English, that don't exist in French, still can be sold in Quebec. Out of the thousand games released each year, almost every one of them made their way in Quebec. Retailers complaining about possible delays or higher pricing are not truthful.

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[magvine]

It is protectionism, but not economic--rather cultural. If you were to know anything about Quebec, it's that it values it's French heritage to a point of rejecting just about everything English. It also tries to succede from Canada every now and then.

It may sound odd and silly to us, but think about the hysteria that arises when people hear Spanish in America. English as the "National Language" anyone...

[jture]

That's "secede," not "succede" (something Quebec will not do if it ever does become a separate country).

[Seaspray0]

nice twist of words, jture.

[AchilleTalon]

I suspect you just don't know Quebec enough to make a comment about it. If this measure adopted by a federalist provincial governement exists, it is only because the distributors were making available the English-only version in Quebec because this way they saves money and hassle ordering the bilingual versions for the customers. Hence, the customers were not presented with a fair choice to choose from.

In particular you own sentence: "If you were to know anything about Quebec, it's that it values it's French heritage to a point of rejecting just about everything English." Is nothing else than a xenophobic statement from yourself. Nothing like that exists at large scale in Quebec.

Also, to conclude and go back to the main article, since the author was talking about the market. If the video games were to be produced only for dominants langages, they would be all in Chinese.

[PiiSPii]

Obviously you've never been to Montreal, or Quebec City, or Hull (actually I think it's got a new name now....).

There certainly is quite a lot of pride when it comes to speaking French, but there really isn't any stigma attached to English.

[demecles]

The worst part for gamers in Quebec will be that foreign language dubs (assuming the game was not originally in French) are typically worse quality than the original language track.

[Lerianis3]

Bingo! That's the reason why laws like this are stupid and should be challenged at every turn as being illegal. You should NOT have the right to dictate to a business what language they have their products in, period and done with.

[PiiSPii]

While that is true, you can toggle the language settings in the vast majority of games. Since most people in Quebec speak English, this won't be a problem.

[JBoivin]

@magvine: Thank you for this comment. There's so much misunderstanding of Quebec's language laws (especially from English-speakers), that's refreshing to read your point. However, I wouldn't say that it goes toward rejecting everything English; English learning is mandatory from Grade 1 to College, for example. The goal is more to protect our culture. And it's cool to play games in our language, as long as non-translated games can make it through too :)

[dokron]

What about MY culture(ENGLISH)????

[uninick]

I was told back in '01 or '02 by a Canadian customs agent (he was from Quebec) that the software I said I bought in Quebec should have had French packaging.

It was "How to Learn French".

The sad thing is that I've since seen beginners French cdroms with packaging entirely in French...

Now... should it be argued that books should not be sold in Quebec unless a French version is available also?

[Etienne_4]

You are saying the opposite of the law. The laws says that if a french version version is available, it must be made available to consumers. That's simply respect.

[ross613]

I gotta say while I certainly can't agree with this new law, Mr. Rosenberg is having exactly the reaction one might expect from a unilingual American, unfamiliar with the history of the French language in Québec. The move is neither protectionist (at least not in the sense he means) nor xenophobic. Rather it's part of a much larger programme (originating from a contentious law called "Bill 101") of ensuring that the French language is dominant in Québec. This programme has, as you might expect, caused a fair bit of political angst in Canada generally - a debate that has at times amplified calls for Québec independance. But it was seen by many in Québec as the only means to preserve the French language in North America - since it's but an island in a sea of English otherwise.

And video games aren't the only industry to face apparent inconvenience or extra cost as a result of the language law. Even though French has, since the law's introduction in the 1970s, recovered to the point where it's clearly the dominant language, some equate the health of French with that of Québec's culture and leverage that association when debate about new measures takes place. So opposing the language law is seen as tantamount to opposing the local culture. As such, the language law is going to be with us for a long while to come.

I work in Québec and am sympathetic to those who want to defend the culture, but I believe (as many here do) that the measures go too far - often to our own economic determent. Still, there is a lot of history and culture behind the language laws which I've only touched on here and it's important to not simply dismiss the motives behind them.

[Mergatroid Mania]

Is this an April Fools joke?

To quote:
"Or, is it misguided, xenophobic protectionism? I'm going with the latter. ".
Pretty slim evidence for an opinion like that.

"One of the many reasons this is such a bad idea is that game companies can simply stop creating French versions of games to bypass this ridiculous law."
You gotta be kidding? You think Quebec is the only French language region in the world? You think companies making these games want to just skip the entire French population of the world just so they can sell their English version in Quebec? Besides, do you know that 99.9% of things in Canada come in both official languages (including web sites), why shouldn't video games? Even retail websites come in both languages.

"would quickly force their hand to decide if it was worth it to carry on with multiple languages."
Did you actually read this before you hit the save button? The biggest most profitable game companies in the world already do multiple languages, how would this law make ANY difference to them? Even if it did, you think they would drop all other languages except their native language just because of one law in one province in one country?

"delay in getting games to players (assuming the French version came out after the English version) would affect his business dramatically: "
This contradicts what you said earlier: "if a French version is available".
If the English version comes out a year before the French version, then of course "No French Version is available", so the law would allow the English version to be sold. How would this affect his business "dramatically"?

Forgive me if I sound a little....abrupt, but I really found your article to be misguided. Thank goodness someone gave you a little bit of a history lesson on the subject.

Lastly, I'm sure everyone is going to switch to "cloud gaming platforms"...again...because of one law in one province in one country. This switch may occur, but it won't have anything to do with the language laws in Quebec.

And no, I am not from Quebec, but Manitoba.

[Lerianis3]

No, it is not pretty slim evidence for that conclusion. Here in America, we do not mandate that all games have to be in English, it's a simple sane business decision by any developer here.
I get incensed when business decisions that government should have NO part in are taken out of the hands of the business owners.

[PiiSPii]

@Lerianis3

Major corporations make there games available in other countries, as was stated by Mergatroid. if thy stopped making French language games, entire countries would lose out on playing the games. By putting this law in place, it is simply reminding companies that they need to send in the French games instead of the English ones.

French heritage (even here in Ontario) is very important, and anything that can help preserve it is carried out by the Quebec government ASAP.

France, Sweden, Belgium, and plenty of other countries use French games, why not bring them to Quebec?

[dokron]

I live in montreal quebec and the quebec government regularly passes laws that discriminates against the english language and english institutions.There is a small group of racist french(and they are RACIST) who have a very loud voice here,and the quebec government always seem to cater to them(eg,: Societe St. Jean Baptiste )in the name of saving french culture.What about the english culture, which has been devastated here especially in montreal where we have a very large english population(about 1/3 of the pop.),and is one of the major founding cultures in quebec! Out of the 4 public schools that I attended growing up here in montreal,they have all been closed .This is blatent racism,which is totaly ignored,probably because 99.9% of the polititions are french!English culture here is dying at the expense of a few zealots!

[Etienne_4]

French speaking population in Ontario : 548 940 (2001 census)
English speaking population in Québec : 572 085 (2001 census)

number of french universities in Ontario : 0 (1 bilingual university in Ottawa: 35000 students, including english unilingual)
number of english universities un Québec : 2 (McGill and Concordia : total 65000 students)

number of french hospital in Ontario : 1 (Monfort: 417 beds)
number of english hospitals in Québec : 3 (Royal, General, Children: 1215 beds)

And Québec just annonce a 1,5 billions investment to build a new english hospital.

Whose more racist ? At least say the truth.

By the way, are the people living in the US ou UK racist because they have an official language (i.e.: english)? I believe not. So why would Québec having french as his official language be racist ????

[PiiSPii]

@Etienne_4:

While I agree with you 100% on your first paragraphs, your conclusion seems a little off. Canada has two official languages, I believe the problem here is that Quebec has a certain amount of open hostility toward English.

Also, I believe they are going to open a new French hospital in Ottawa.

[dokron]

One more thing.French game versions are generally badly translated and poorly supported.I have many french friends who also play in ENGLISH!Who plays WOW in french anyways?(maybe those xenophobes who want to play WOW by themselves,defeating the purpose of an MMORPG)
I am very opinionated on this subject(PC games,and language)because of the poor state of PC games generally,and I m tired of my heritage(English,and Polish,both of which I am proud of) being dissed by a small group of french racists(who also rant on non-french immigrants)!Quebec is the only place in the world where english is officially banned(look it up).I WAS BORN HERE in QUEBEC but I am made to feel like I dont belong in quebec society.So where do I go when I am told to go back to where I came from?

[dokron]

Update comment :
english games ARE harder to find.It took me 1 month to find FALLOUT3, and FEAR2 and DOW2 WERENT AVAILABLE untill a week after worldwide release.Your info is from JOUEZ.com a french game site/mag. whose employees are 99.9% french and generally promote gaming in french!
Mr. Rosenberg, U should ask quebec gamers themselves of their experiences.

[Etienne_4]

False. At future shop in Québec, they sell the english version of Fallout even on the french web site.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=FR&sku_id=0665000FS10107625&catid=11126

En quoi peut-on être offusqué du fait que la version française du jeu sera vendue? Cela n'empêche pas la vente de la version anglaise du tout!! Ce qui est intéressant c'est que tu réagis beaucoup plus encore que les francophones. Eux exigent que les jeux soient disponibles dans leur langue, sans t'enlever la tienne; toi tu exiges que les jeux ne soient pas disponibles dans leur langue mais seulement dans la tienne... ouch. penses-y.

[elavoie1965]

On Update comment:
Like anything else in this province it is never the law or action of the polotician in this province that cause disruption to it's economy, it is allways beautyfull, especially when you drink the Kool-Aid.
The only impact it will have is, store closing, ebay purchases of games will increase, and politician and people like François Taddei exclaiming later "see it had no effect" while ignoring any factual information about it.
Another day in the province of Quebec.

[baisa]

Quebec's language laws are a profound violation of the inalienable individual rights to association, expression, production, and trade. They are also xenophobic and fascistic, and foster an environment of warring classes with irreconcilable differences. They are founded on the moral tenets of intrinsicism: the notion that certain things or conditions are values in and of themselves, without respect to context or valuers; in this case, the existence of the French language and "culture" is deemed an Absolute Good apart from the desires of individuals and all context, such as the existence of individual rights. If French speakers want to maintain their language and support cultural products in the French language then they are certainly entitled, but NOT by using force against the innocent who may wish to use other languages or offer cultural products in other languages. It is time for humanity to throw off the historical barbarity of group fascism and coercion and replace them with the civilized principles of respect for the rights of others and their enshrinement as inviolable individual rights.

[gofalcons]

and why does anyone in the world care about quebec?????

[PiiSPii]

@gofalcons:

We care about Quebec because without it, Ontario's economy would die faster than the US'.

[dokron]

WELL-SAID!!!

[Gonzo BobH]

Ceci ne m'intéresse pas.

[PiiSPii]

Probablement because you speak French.

[melo.dieux]

These French people are really unreasonable. They want to play in their own language, what an absurd concept. I am sure no Americans would object if the only video games available to their kids were in Spanish. It is also true it makes no business sense. Now with titles in French, Game publishers will be able to sell them to the 60% of the population that doesn't read nor understand English and that was barely buying English titles before. How silly is that!

Morality: bloggers should always do their homework before writing a story for which they have no clue. You know basic journalism like getting the inputs from the 2 sides.

[Lerianis3]

Hey, wanting to play in your own language IS unreasonable when you are trying to dictate to a business what language they publish their games in!
Frankly, government should BUTT OUT of things like that, and leave the decisions about which languages to support to the business in question.

[hassan_bin_sober]

As a now retired commercial pilot I had to deal with the Quebecois nitwits way back in the 70's. The air traffic controllers began to speak french against all international standards that English was to be the language of ALL control towers that handled international air traffic. This produced an unacceptable level of confusion, as a pilot needs to hear and understand the communication of all the aircraft in the area of operation so that a pilot could have a mental picture of the location and maneuvering of other aircraft and reduce the likelihood of an incident, or accident. These arrogant ... preferred to play games and jeopardize the traveling public with their silly ... shenanigans by refusing to speak English. You know what!, you really are a bunch of airheads. I see after 35 years you are still idiots!
[CNET editor's note: Offensive content deleted.]

[Etienne_4]

This law is necessary.

The law simply makes available games in french. No one looses, english players just need to set their preferences to "english" within the game...

So, if someone crys, it's propably because he does'nt understand what's going on, or simply because he hates french canadian, and Quebecers for... speaking french! ;)

You may argue about xenophobia if you wan't, but if you do so you must ask yourself why can unilingual english people can study and work in Montréal, but the same can't be done by a frenchie in Toronto or Saskatoon? Who's more xenophobe? the one who wan't to speak his language but also speaks english to accomodate is neighbours, or the one who did'nt even learn french (or any other national language) and ask people to speak to him in english, everywhere on the planet?


p.s.: we're building a bilion dollar english hospital right now in Montréal paid by Québec gouvernment; honestly english ain't in danger in Québec

[pentest]

I love Canada except for the French ... It is not the language you speak, it is the attitude and stupidity of many French-Canadians.
[CNET editor's note: Offensive material deleted.]

[dokron]

I have much to say but I will only reply to one of your comments: America DOES NOT have an official language.If you live in an area of america where there are a large number of hispanics, services are available to u in your language....and you can put up your signs in any language you like.Ther is no language police,like in quebec!
Another thing.. I dont care what they do in quebec city,chibougamo,st.Louis de ha ha,st. **** or anywhere else in quebec..I care about MONTREAL,a city I was born and raised in and one that I love very much.Much of montreals character belongs to the fact of its 4 founding peoples...French,English,Irish,Scottish,and lets not forget the Mohawks!And the many other immigrant groups who followed!

[PiiSPii]

@dokron:

That's more than 4...

@Etienne_4:

Where in Toronto can you not speak French?

[Etienne_4]

@ PiiSPii

as-tu déjà essayé de commander un café à Toronto? Il n'y a même pas d'université francophone!

Juste avoir un douanier qui parle français à l'aéroport de Toronto c'est difficile. Au Québec, tous les douaniers parlent anglais, pourquoi donc alors à Toronto ne parlent-ils pas tous français? L'important ici c'est de comparer, et quand on compare, le Québec est beaucoup plus généreux avec sa minorité anglophone que le Canada avec sa minorité francophone.

Tout ça pour revenir au fait que de livrer des jeux en français quand la version existe n'enlève rien au anglos, mais c'est trop pour certain extrémiste anglos... Et c'est malheureux que le Canada lui-même n'ait pas fait cette loi.

p.s.: sorry for those who did'nt understood. By the way, if you think french canadian are xenophobe, let me tell you that there's 5 time more french canadian that are bilingual, compared to english canadian. Obviously the french are more open to the english culture, but i'll let you think about it.

[kojacked]

It's not a French or English thing. It's an attitude thing. I find the French (especially French-Canadians) so utterly arrogant (kinda like Apple fanboys). If they had their way every product, storefont, resturant menu in every country would have to have to include a french translation.

There are 6.77 billion people in this world and 350 million of them speak French (that includes those that speak it as a secondary language). Why should a language that only 5% of the world speaks add so much to the development, marketing, and sales of a product?

Let's also not forget that English isn't the "official" language of the U.S. It's just the dominant language and the one the government does business in. By far other languages are more respected here in the U.S. that english is in Quebec.

[Rants&Raves]

Dave Rosenberg's main argument is that it is wrong for a company to be requested that the software they already sell be made available if it already is. We're not talking about added translation costs or anything else here, just to stop the arrogant attitude that people in Canada do not deserve to be treated any differently than those in New York as customers.

I find the tone and substance of the article disturbing; it seems designed to incite xenophobic reactions and hatred tied to a semi-coherent rant just for the purpose of getting hits and views.

[Inconnux]

All they are doing is hurting local businesses. Gamers will just buy via digital download and bypass their language police.

[dokron]

Hey moderator,
St. **** is a real place in quebec!

[ledhead1962]

I am an english Canadian who was born in Montreal and lived in the beautiful province of Quebec for 11 years of my life. My family lived across the country in my childhood years and still owns land in the eastern townships. Yet when we returned to Canada in the 70's after living out of the country we relocated to Ontario as the social climate in Quebec had become toxic. This is loosely referred to as the great exodus, as many english speaking Quebecers left the province with the enactment of Bill 101. Businesses left too, in droves, and to his day have not returned and the province is the worse for it. I regret the disintegration of the vibrant home of my childhood while realizing that the french population had to do something to get english canada to grant equality to the french culture. The outcome has turned into an endless siege against the english in the province and has basically devolved into the province being held for ransom on a regular basis. Many of these language laws are instituted for causes that are definitely harmful to the province's economy and yet continue heedless of reality and any attempt for reconciliation (tearing down perfectly good road signs that were in french and english to put up french only signs is good example - now tourists, who speak mostly english, can't find their way, and believe me Quebec needs all the tourist dollars it can attain). Switzerland has 4 official languages doesn't have one hundredth the discord that Canada has over this issue. So sad that an ideal can corrupt to the point of absurdity, but there you have it.

[dokron]

I agree with u 100%.Most of the people I grew up with in the 60's and 70's have moved away to other parts of Canada and the U.S. mostly after these draconian laws (Bill 101)were enacted here in Quebec.Their reasons for leaving varied but it was mainly fear (of loosing their rights) and economic(of not being able to find a job,because they were english and many businesses were in the process of moving or had already moved due to these laws).Montreal has never really recovered; the population remains stagnant, while Toronto,Calgary,Edmonton,Halifax,Vancouver have all grown tremendously.These are facts that cannot be denied, but the small minority of xenophobic french seem to have a loud voice and dont care about facts!One thing I would like to make clear; not all french people in quebec are xenophobic or anti-english, and many have contributed to our (Quebecs) culture, which is unique in north america.But it is the English as well as the French(and many other cultures,to a lesser degree) that contributes to this uniqueness.