Video game controllers (illustration) -
Thomas SAMSON / AFP
The Covid-19 health crisis has affected many sectors of the French economy.
20 Minutes presents companies and craftsmen who, despite the confinement and the difficulties linked to the epidemic, have seen their activity grow or even explode.
In the North, the company Nacon, publisher of video games and manufacturer of accessories for consoles, reached unexpected sales with containment.
In the world before, 2020 should have been a year of transition for video game players.
With the arrival in mid-November of a new generation of consoles (PlayStation 5, X Box SX), the market expected to experience a drop of 10% as consumers buy less while waiting for new products.
Except that containment and the Covid pandemic have been there and have exploded the practice of video games.
CEO of the northern company Nacon, publisher of video games and manufacturer of accessories for consoles, Alain Falc confirms that he has never seen this.
"Our turnover has multiplied by 2.5"
“People were confined for two months.
When you stay at home, there is reading, TV, board games but also video games.
We therefore recovered new players who started playing during this period and who did not stop with the deconfinement.
We have clearly reached a new audience, ”admits the entrepreneur.
Moreover, sales figures have risen sharply for games supposed to have reached the end of their life before the arrival of new consoles.
“We publish video games and digital has really exploded during the lockdown.
People couldn't go and buy games from specialty stores that were closed.
They downloaded them directly from their console or computer.
As a result, from mid-March to mid-May, our turnover on digital games has multiplied by 2.5 worldwide.
Which is enormous ”, recognizes Alain Falc.
The company, which also manufactures accessories for video games and PCs (controllers and especially headsets) has also seen this branch grow strongly.
Overall, Nacon increased its sales by 30% compared to last year.
Figures that are enough to make more than one dream in a world affected by a serious economic crisis.
IPO in early March just before the crash
Especially since 2020 is really a very special vintage for Nacon.
One year ago, in order to further develop its video games branch in a rapidly changing sector, Alain Falc decided to create Nacon, an independent center of Bigben, its historical structure.
A few months later, the new company went public and managed to raise just over 100 million euros.
A sum intended to develop by buying in particular video game creation studios.
Except that within a few days, everything could have been called into question: “Within a week, it was screwed up.
We went public on March 4 at a time when it was down sharply because of the development of the pandemic.
And a few days later, there was a stock market crash, ”recalls Alain Falc.
After this year apart, the growth of northern society is not about to stop.
The arrival of new consoles will lead Nacon to develop many new games for several years.
Proof of its good health, the company, which already has more than 500 employees, continues to recruit every month.
A rather rare success story in this uncertain period.
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Confinement
Coronavirus
Covid 19
Lille
Economy
Video games
Deconfinement