On June 24th, everyone in the video game world found out that Thomas Jolly got tapped to lead the Video Game Aid Fund commission for two years. He’s taking over from Maxime Chattam (yep, the author) who held this job for four years before him. A lot of people are questioning his legitimacy in the video game sector, especially since he doesn’t have a background in it. The Video Game Aid Fund helps with all stages of video game projects – writing, pre-production, and production. They provide selective aid that contributes to funding some pretty awesome and original projects, like Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc) and Clair Obscur Expedition 33 by Sandfall Interactive. People know the CNC video game fund has a €5 million portfolio to help new studios stand out. Last year, Thomas Jolly said he wanted to work in the video game industry, and now he finally has his chance at Ubisoft. To explain why he’s here, Thomas Jolly says he’s been playing video games since he was a kid.
Thomas Jolly happily takes on the role of chairing a commission that fosters innovative projects, bringing together various artistic talents. “Ever since I was a kid,” he says, “I’ve not just acted or played games on stage but also video games. Over time, my love for gaming has grown into a deep fascination for an art form that consistently pushes the limits of creation, with players at its heart. This is one connection I draw between video games and my theater work: the same dedication and attention to detail we give to our audience.” But Thomas’s presence in this strategic position stirred up some criticism on social media. Many online users express their displeasure over his appointment, with some even reminding us of Gaëtant Bruel appointing him as president of the video game aid fund and his current role as the head of CNC, described by Le Monde as Rachida Dati’s Minister of Culture’s ‘Cultural Policy.’
Gaëtan Bruel, 36, hailing from École normale supérieure (ENS), has held multiple strategic roles: Cultural Advisor at the Élysée, French Institute Director, and Cultural Counselor in New York. Through government-appointed positions, not competitive exams, he landed these jobs. This little-known system controls nearly 580 administrative posts, often high-profile or politically sensitive ones, handed out solely by the government’s discretion, bypassing any application process. This is how Bruel took his recent role at the CNC. A closer look shows he has no background in film or audiovisual sectors and lacks specialized training in these fields. This isn’t just an anomaly; it hints at the political nature of his appointment. The same goes for Thomas Jolly being appointed president of a 2025 commission dedicated to video games—dubbed a “pet project” by some observers—with no prior experience in the field he governs. This decision left the video game ecosystem puzzled, as Jolly is primarily a theater director. However, this choice makes sense when considering it comes from a CNC president with no industry experience. Such arrangements fuel suspicions of a system where patronage replaces meritocracy, traditional career paths give way to opportunistic appointments, and the divide between public service and personal interests becomes worryingly unclear. The estimated monthly salary for the CNC presidency ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 euros gross, financed by taxpayers through the Ministry of Culture.
The commission’s lineup: President: Thomas Jolly (actor and stage director) Vice President: Julie Chalmette (deputy general manager at Don’t Nod Entertainment) Experts: Servane Altermatt (artistic director), Vincent Dondaine, Olivier Derivière (composer at Ameo Prod, Inc), Benjamin Diebling (director at Quantic Dream), Claire Léger (producer), Yves Le Yaouanq (editorial director at Focus Entertainment), Modiiie, Virginie Mosser* (narrative director at Ubisoft), Lucile Parleani (administrative and financial director at Tactical Adventures), Sylvain Passot (general manager at Passtech Games) Substitutes: Loïc Deffains (co-founder at Rivrs), Fabien Delpiano*, Morgane Falaize (marketing and PR expert at Minuit Douze), Celia Hodent (UX and cognitive psychology expert), Loïc Manglou (general manager at Blue Ramen), Nadia François Thévenot (producer at Kylotonn) * denotes members also serving as experts for another commission
(The input has no informal greeting to remove.)
