If I had to sum up my stay in Switzerland in one word, I’d choose “stimulating”.
Note: This article is an automated translation. For the original article, click on Français in the menu.
Before I share some of my thoughts with you, I’d first like to thank the Centre du jeu excessif of the Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois (CHUV) and the Institut Santé et société at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) for the financial support that enabled me to make this business trip. Indeed, as you’ll see in this article, it was far from a vacation.
Special thanks to Mélina Andronicos for the invitation and for helping me coordinate everything.
Symposium
First of all, one of the main reasons for this trip was to take part in the multidisciplinary international symposium “Preventing and Treating Excessive Gambling in a Digitalized World” held in Caux (Switzerland). A jam-packed three-day event from morning till night, I had the opportunity to interact with a host of internationally renowned experts dealing with behavioral addiction, including video gaming disorder. The discussions and activities made me think a lot about the issues and angles of approach that would be relevant to develop, not only as part of my interdisciplinary doctorate in health and society at UQAM, where I’m interested in the supervision of competitive videogame practice, but also with a view to the various programs of the Virtual Guardians Foundation (VGF).
Special mention to the huge Quebec delegation that attended the symposium, a small part of which is pictured here. Let’s just say there were some entertaining moments. (Photo: Nadine Blanchette-Martin)
One thing that pleasantly surprised me at the symposium was the extent to which the FGV and our various programs, notably that of the Digital Street Workers (DSW), are followed around the world. I was approached several times by people asking me if I was François Savard from Les Gardiens virtuels. That’s how I learned that there were similar projects to ours, some of which we directly influenced! We’ve promised to keep in touch, and are already planning a virtual meeting in the near future. This is very exciting, and comes at a perfect time with what the FGV has been patiently preparing behind the scenes for several years.
Collaboration with the Centre du jeu excessif
Mélina Andronicos and her team at the Centre du jeu excessif (CHUV) have set up several interesting projects linked to screen prevention. One of these is represented by a little fox named Billie Screen. This mascot is present in various play areas to discuss screens with youngsters. At an International Basketball Federation (FIBA) event in Mies (Switzerland), I had the opportunity to observe the deployment of this prevention activity, and also to ask the team several questions. Although I had previously had a lot of information about this program, this activity enabled me to learn about prevention practices in Switzerland, and then to make a few comments to the team.
In the same vein, I was a guest expert on a sentinel training program for young people (Billie Screen) in La Tour-de-Peilz (Switzerland). More specifically, it was a co-creation activity where we experimented with a first version of a training course for youth workers, and where we were invited to interact. I’m delighted to have been so involved, and to have been able to contribute to the development of this facet of the prevention program.
As part of this collaboration, I also gave a one-day training workshop at the Centre du jeu excessif in Lausanne, Switzerland. We discussed e-sports, the video game community, and a range of similar topics. I can tell you that the day went by far too quickly. I really enjoyed the questions from the screen prevention team, because they were often very specific, which allowed me to push my answers with a higher degree of analysis than when I give lectures where I have to extremely popularize what I’m saying.
Musée du jeu Suisse
As part of the above-mentioned symposium, there was a day of pre-conference activities at the Musée du jeu Suisse in La Tour-de-Peilz (Switzerland). I animated two activities. The first was a 1h15 conference entitled “How to develop your ”Safe world“ in the context of our digital practices”. The challenge with this conference was that it was impossible to predict who would be in the room. Indeed, even though it was a side event to a scientific symposium, it was open to the general public. What’s more, because of the nature of the activities, there would be people who were into video games and role-playing, but also some who were just curious. So I had to be careful to calibrate my vocabulary and plan several ways of expressing my message. Based on the feedback I received, I think I succeeded in this challenge.
Next, I was game master from 8:30 pm to about 11:00 pm, where I led an introductory session to Dungeons & Dragons that I had previously planned. The challenge here was to play with character sheets and know the names of skills in French. In Quebec, even though we converse in French, we all play with the American rules in English and especially in foot. Asking players to roll “perspicacité” instead of “insight” or ‘escamotage’ instead of “sleight of hand” wasn’t intuitive in the heat of the moment. I’m immensely proud to be able to say that I’ve officially been a game master on two continents!
In fact, the day was so full that I didn’t even get to visit the museum! Many thanks to Selim Krichane for allowing me to come back the next morning to visit the exhibits. If you’re in the area, they’re well worth a visit!
Visits of entertainment establishments
You know me, I’m an expert in the field of video games, but not in the same sense as many of my colleagues in Game Studies. In fact, I’m less interested in the object of the video game as such (e.g. development, programming, history of the medium, etc.), but much more in what players do with it (e.g. gatherings of players, communities, tournaments, etc.). This obviously includes gathering places! So I took the opportunity to explore the gaming ecosystem in the cities I visited, whether in Switzerland, or even during my 10-hour stopover in Nice (France).
In this highly exploratory ethnographic experience, there was one theme that recurred in all the places where I had time to sit down and have a drink: that of precariousness. Whether it was with me directly or in discussions between staff or with regulars, the subject that kept coming up was the fact that times were harder than usual. Some places were trying to attract new customers by proposing new activities, others were looking at options for moving to other premises, and there was even one case where the option of closing altogether was raised. What’s striking is that these are the same discussions I’ve been hearing here in Quebec for the past ten years.
On a happier note, I have to say that I loved being able to visit the vast majority of the dozen or so places I had identified. Several of them even had interesting elements that I’d love to import to Quebec. Here are my two favorites.
The first is Qwertz in Lausanne (Switzerland). I liked the place so much that on my last evening in Switzerland, even though I was sleeping in Geneva (Switzerland), I decided to make a detour there. It’s an esports bar that’s been around since 2013, and I can tell you I felt right at home there. The staff were super friendly, then the atmosphere is ultra “grassroot”, “underground” and authentic. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Starcraft on TV in a bar. The basement reminds me of the MVA in Montreal’s Hochelaga district, but in a bar version.
The superb Qwertz team: Nicolas Giller, Eva and Mégane
The second is ALT+F4 in Nice (France). First of all, the configuration of the room is very similar to what we (Boreal Gaming) did with an architect in 2013 when we were looking to open our own establishment. In the context of guilds, clans, teams, student clubs or any other type of private gathering with a strong sense of belonging, this is the dream location. There are enough computers to organize practices or play matches between two teams. There’s space for viewing parties. There’s even a large bar selling alcohol and food. Unfortunately, in a context other than this, i.e. for something geared towards the general public, it’s extremely difficult to make a profit. The recent closure of one of the last similar venues in Quebec, Gam1ng Café, is a case in point.
Various meetings
I’d like to round off this article with two words of thanks.
Thanks to Joël Billieux and Yasser Khazaal for the fondue evening. Accompanied by Daniel King and Ilkka Vuorinen, it was an immense pleasure to learn more about Swiss culinary culture and to have so many interesting conversations on a multitude of subjects. It was truly a privilege!
Thanks to Jonathan Jubin for the lunch in Lausanne. Although we didn’t receive funding for a research partnership between the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and the Institut et Haute École de la Santé La Source, it’s only a temporary setback. Looking forward to collaborating with you in the creation of resources for the proper supervision of video games.
