France is one of the biggest video game industries in the world. It might seem counter-intuitive; the first countries that come to your mind as video game hubs are probably Japan and the United States. But France has a weird, unique history with game-making that goes back to its 1968 cultural revolution.

I wanted to explore the roots of the French game industry. These games were thematically ahead of their time. They explored racism, politics, sexuality, and sexual violence. France seemingly avoided the cultural assumption that video games are for children. The games that still exist from this period are bizarre and difficult to play, but they’re an important cultural text and a building block for the modern games industry.