English. Illegal. Quebec.

[Wizard]

New Quebec law turns Lara Croft into francophone

 

Sale of English-only video games prohibited if French version exists

Apr 01, 2009 04:30 AM

 

Andrew Chung

QUEBEC BUREAU CHIEF

 

MONTREAL – In Lara Croft's latest action adventure, part of the wildly popular Tomb Raider video game series, the lithe heroine can demand of her evil doppelganger either, "What the hell are you?" or, "Qu'est-ce que tu es, exactement?"

 

And that's exactly the way Quebec wants it, from now on. French language rules on video games come into force today prohibiting the sale of new English-only video games in Quebec if a French version is available.

 

It's causing a lot of consternation among retailers and gamers alike, who fear the rules will lead to delays in video games arriving in the province, and may not accomplish what the law intends, which is to promote and protect the French language.

 

Ronnie Rondeau, co-owner of the eight Game Buzz stores around Montreal, said he even fears bankruptcy.

 

"I'm afraid it's going to cost me my business," 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.

 

"And money-wise, it's going to hurt."

 

Rondeau said gamers are notorious for wanting new games the minute they come out. It's why he has had numerous midnight sales with lines stretching around the block.

 

It's why he even carries Japanese games that won't be available in English for months.

 

If there's a delay of even a few days, they'll find other options, such as buying online or across the border.

 

Raffy Boudjikanian, who writes a gaming column for the West Island Chronicle, agrees. "Why am I going to wait for five more months when the next big game is right there in Plattsburg?"

 

Rondeau cites the example of the popular Rockband game. The distributor didn't ship the English-only version for the Christmas rush, and a French version didn't arrive for six weeks.

 

Delays can happen because translation can lead to game "bugs," such as text not fitting into graphic boxes on screen, said Haig James Toutikian, a professional Montreal game designer, who has dealt with such bugs, which can cause a game to underperform.

 

"I know how much of a pain they can be," Toutikian said.

 

"They take up a lot of bug-tracking time."

 

Toutikian, who said he has friends who learned English playing video games, added, "I don't think it will encourage people to buy the French version."

 

In the past, technical aspects, such as different game console versions sold in North America versus Europe, prevented even games released in France from appearing in Quebec. The result was that Quebec had mostly English games available.

 

The gaming industry adopted deadlines to comply with the province's language charter and the "language police," the Office quebecois de la langue francaise.

 

Danielle Parr, executive director of the Entertainment Software Association of Canada, said that because of the population size, it's possible a game publisher will decide it's too costly to release a French version for Quebec even if it has one for France, thus depriving the province of its game in either language.

 

But overall, she said, "they will see more games available in French. And that's good news."

 

Source.

 

English. Illegal. Quebec. Mag, set up that closet, I'm moving in.

[Devia Eleven]

Any type of current event posted in a forum on April 1st should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Wizard]

Any type of current event posted in a forum on April 1st should be taken with a grain of salt.

All the gamers WISH it was. I'm still hoping it is.

 

edit: Example: It took 6 weeks for Quebec to get Rock Band after it was released in the U.S. and the rest of Canada.

[ken_cinder]

That's absolutely hilarious, considering the French version of Mass Effect was butchered beyond belief in translation and horrid voice acting from what I hear from people who's first language is french.

 

What's even more hilarious, is how that $hitty language they speak in Quebec, can be called French in the first place.

It's a bastardized french, one I refused to speak in school because I already knew Parisian french (One half of my family......).

 

We really need to give them what they want, their Referendum..........only we throw them out on their asses, give 60% of their land to the natives, take every piece of military equipment they have etc etc.

I f**king hate the province you live in dude......

[Wizard]

Yeah tell me about it. Best for Quebec to split off and Montreal to join good old Ontario already.

[Agozer]

God damn French and their desire to be special.

 

and

 

Toutikian, who said he has friends who learned English playing video games, ...

This.

 

Doesn't just cover Quebecois gamers, but all gamers whose native language isn't English, myself included. April Fool's joke or not, the article highlights the prime reason why PAL gamers get shafted, and ultimately why modded consoles are so sought after in PAL regions.

[Wizard]

It's a legit legislation that was passed and as much as I wish it was a joke, it isn't. Three websites and the local radio station I listen too reported it (I called in calling it a joke of a law and I will find other ways to get games), trust me, a lot of people are outraged, this includes the general public. The smallest spec of English outside the island of Montreal will get you fined if you were a retailer.

 

All this will cause is people and business to vanish. Something Quebec is trying to combat ironically due to the failing world econemy.

[Robert]

It should be French that is banned there. There is simply no place for it on that continent.

 

I guess a lot of retailers outside of Quebec will be looking forward to this new law.

[ken_cinder]

It should be French that is banned there. There is simply no place for it on that continent.

 

I guess a lot of retailers outside of Quebec will be looking forward to this new law.

 

I wouldn't go that far, people should be allowed to speak whatever language they want.

 

But we don't ban French advertisement in the rest of the country, infact we have to put up with bilingual instruction manuals and text even on food packaging.

 

The things they do in that province, would spark an outrage anywhere else, people would literally riot if any sort of language law (no matter what language it was) was enacted somewhere else.

 

We don't tell people in Ontario, they can't put up a sign that's in Hindu only. I'm not adverse to it either, if I'm interested enough I'll find out.

I've been to a few Indian restaurants where I didn't have a damn clue what the sign or menu said, but if you're polite people will help you........nobody that speaks French only in Quebec is polite, NOBODY.

 

I remember going to Montreal when I was 12 on a class trip. Got sidetracked on foot once, and asked 2 guys for directions (In English) after HEARING them speaking English. They pretended they couldn't speak English.

Little did they know, at that time I could still speak decent French.......and I knew plenty of not so nice words too!

[Hera]

I try not to have any preconceived opinions of the French because I have only met a few and they were extremely nice. Now, from friends and family that have visited France, they have told me flat out that it's not as pretty as people think and that most of the people they dealt with (including merchants, innkeepers, etc) were exceedingly in the asshole criteria. Now, my mother speaks french and she also thinks that the french spoken in Canada doesn't quite go along with the authentic French. I don't know but I told her about a few comments here and she agreed.

 

(She lives with me btw hahaha I'm not 15)

 

 

Anyway, I would like to visit their country for one reason. To see the louvre and their cheese castle.

 

 

I'm more of a Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Scandanavia kinda girl anyway. I tend to think that Italy (even though I'm mostly Italian) and France aren't really European countries. They aren't as decent as everyone else in my opinion. But that's harsh.

 

[Wizard]

France French and Canadian French are completely different, we've said that a few times here already.

 

French Canadians are assholes and when you can speak it, you can call them the usual, but it gets across in english pretty well.