Our video game section consists of many players. These include talented studios, independent programmers and, of course, publishers who facilitate the distribution of their works. The latter are characterized by the variety and often also the quality of their productions. Especially since it is useless to go far to find them since France hosts certain references of the profession. Focus Entertainment is one of those video game giants. A publisher is now essential thanks to quality franchises that reach a wide audience. We think in particular a plague story, sitting in the firmament of the most awaited games or even the franchises the wave, vampire, From where SnowRunner, supported by a well-established base of followers.
We had the chance to speak to Yves Le Yaouank, Chief Content Officer at Focus Entertainment. And at the same time to learn more about the future of this publishing house, which has many surprises in store for us…
Quality and innovation at the heart of Focus Entertainment
XboxSquad: Focus Entertainment is one of the big French publishers that counts among its ranks recently acquired studios like Deck13 or even Dotemu. What criteria do you use to select your acquisitions?
Yves Le Yaouank: The studios we work with both in publishing and acquisition are creative, innovative teams that we want to work with for many years, even decades. So the first of the criteria remains the human being. what is crucial it’s the trust and relationship we’ve been able to build with those studios.
We’re not in a ravenous hippo race piling up studio acquisitions. Rather, we strive for a federation of talents in which each reinforces the other: to improve the expertise of the teams, to create bridges and cooperations between our studioss to continue to grow together and ultimately offer our players the best games.
Each of our studios has been able to develop a unique expertise (FPS, RPG, Retro, etc.) that we want to support to maturity, in order to create together the future great games and worlds of tomorrow: creativity, innovation, collaboration and humanity are therefore the main criteria for joining the Focus family.
XS: Can you tell us more about your different licenses? We think in particular of A Plague Tale or The Sandy Evil West to be released.
Y.LY : We can’t wait for players to discover these two games: face the dangers of a transformed Wild West alone or in co-op, or join Amicia and Hugo in their exploration of a world where they grow and find their place. .
Each in its genre offers unique universes and challenges that offer players a whole range of actions but also emotions, thrills and challenges: original, living worlds, supported by a variety of gameplay, c It is this diversity that we offer to the players constantly want to offer .
“The ambition of the focus group […] is to be further strengthened in order to develop beyond video games”
XS: Between the acquisitions of studios and the increasing number of licenses, what is your goal?
Y.LY : The goal of the Focus Group and the many talents and expertise that make up it is continue to strengthen to evolve beyond video games.
This is the opportunity to offer players choice, through Live and Post Launch, but also by continuing their adventure on other media, leaving them free to explore our universes through series, books, comics, movies, etc.
XS: In terms of your catalogue, what games would you like to focus your strategy on? Towards AAA, AA or independent games?
Y.LY : We look at games first through the prism of their quality and innovation, their response to player demands, rather than just budget criteria or team size.
As a group, it is particularly important to continue expanding our expertise, releasing increasingly ambitious games while remaining accessible and original, but always supporting creativity and innovation: keep majestic oak trees, solid and imposing, in our garden while continuing to plant young shoots for the future if we use a green metaphor 🙂
So we will continue to focus primarily on content, quality, but also innovation!
The relationship with Microsoft
XS: The Bordelais d’Asobo are among your partners. A Plague Tale Requiem release is announced for 2022 in Game Pass. How is such an agreement negotiated with Microsoft?
Y.LY : Above all, it is the work and game quality of the Asobo and Focus teams that allows us to convince partners like Microsoft. It is then a lot of exchanges with Microsoft, long an excellent partner of Focus, which allows us to benefit from the best support and visibility for the project.
XS: What is your relationship with Microsoft?
Y.LY : Microsoft is an important historical partner due to the variety of offers for gamers and the variety of platforms and modes of access to games (GamePass, consoles, etc.). We have been working together for many years. The quality of this relationship makes it possible to produce some more innovative projects, knowing that we will be supported and listened to in our efforts to offer original games.
XS: How do you see the beginning of this next-gen?
Y.LY : We are very excited to be able to offer new cases and new platforms for our games and to reach even more players.
The rise of crossplay for multiplayer games, offers like the Game Pass or even backwards compatibility make it possible to expand the audience of our games while strengthening the freedom of choice for players: where and when to buy, subscribe, be less dependent in the face of obsolescence of previous generations, they can be independent of what games they want to support or buy.
With the new technical and graphic possibilities, both on the hardware side and on the game engine, unbelievable horizons open up for the players!
“Microsoft is a historic partner […] This allows us to create some more innovative projects, knowing that we will be supported and listened to in our efforts to provide original games.”
XS: Do you plan to support the Xbox One generation for a longer period of time?
Y.LY : We want to continue to allow as many players as possible to enjoy our games on as many platforms as possible, while also supporting technological developments: by addressing all communities while participating through our games and of course our size to constantly push the technological frontiers expand: to advance without giving up!
XS: How do you see the medium-term market development?
Y.LY : The industry continues to change with consolidation/acquisition moves, new offerings (subscriptions, streaming, cloud, etc.), new studios, new games and new territories, both in terms of talent and players. Our goal is to anticipate and participate in these developments, that is, to further diversify our game offer and to continue the constant dialogue with our communities in order to be at the center of these developments and the expectations of the players.
XS: Crunchy news for our readers?
Y.LY : We don’t want to spoil the surprises to come too much, nor risk angering Titus or frightening Amicia and Hugo.
You’ll discover new partnerships and continuations of existing collaborations throughout the year. It’s very focus: loyalty to players and studios and openness to new partners.
Be there in 2022 😉
XS: The last word?
Y.LY : We can’t wait for you all to discover the incredible richness of the next Focus games with worlds, gameplay, storytelling and also creation tools so that our passion becomes your stories.
And if you’re impatient, you can even discover the exclusivity on our brand new store !
XS: Thank you Yves.
Our thanks also go to Pierre Gonzalvez, Vincent Chataignier and Xavier Marot
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