Supported by the French Ministry of Culture and the Office québécois de la langue française.
Gameloft, a leading game developer and publisher, announces Exploratio, a mobile game aiming to modernize the image of the French language, explore its diversity and promote its study. Exploratio is an entertaining, stimulating and accessible experience, created with the support of the French Ministry of Culture and the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF), and guided by the Dictionnaire des francophones (DDF) as well as the work of the OQLF. The game is an opportunity to discover wordplay and the richness of the French language in a Francophone environment. Exploratio will be free to download from the App Store and Google Play on March 20.
Joined by Elocus, an astronaut on a mission, players will embark on a journey to the Tesseract Galaxy, where they’ll have to solve puzzles and overcome several obstacles. Players can choose to play solo or in multiplayer mode as they tackle such games as questions and answers, fill-in-the-blanks, puzzles and crosswords. Each Tesseract represents a different theme (food, work, the environment, the body and the mind, as well as many more themes to come) and consists of several challenges, which all offer the opportunity to discover wordplay and new expressions. Players will learn that “une boite de conserve” (canned food) is called “une canne” in Quebec, and that “quatre-vingt-dix” (ninety) becomes “nonante” in Belgium and Switzerland.They will also discover expressions such as “se sucrer le bec” (satisfy your sweet tooth) and “faire la beauté” (spruce yourself up). As they progress through the game, players will unlock rewards that will allow them to continue their quest into the Exploratio universe and uncover new facets of the French language.
As Stéphane Roussel, CEO of Gameloft, says, “Video games are a powerful medium for storytelling and emotions—but they can also be a vehicle for a society’s cultural enrichment.It’s a great source of pride for Gameloft to put its expertise towards the creation of Exploratio. We believe that video games have the capacity to amaze and encourage exploration, making them the best tool to innovatively address the desire to revitalize the reputation of the French language for young people. As a multicultural and global French company, we recognize the value of language. We are honored to contribute to the revitalization of La Francophonie and to celebrate the richness and diversity of its vocabulary using the grammar of video games.”
French Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin adds, “Gameloft has provided its industry expertise in service of Exploratio and has helped to create an innovative and unprecedented video game. Thanks to the support of France and Quebec, this game will give players the opportunity to discover the countless, and often overlooked, treasures of the French language. While wandering between Tesseracts, players will forge connections with each other as they explore the richness of the language. Thus, Exploratio will illustrate the cultural vitality of La Francophonie and raise its profile around the world.”
Exploratio will be available for download as of March 20 and will be presented during the Semaine de la langue française et de la Francophonie, a cultural event celebrating the French language in several countries around the world, held from March 12–20.
Click here to check out images from the game.
Click here to watch the launch trailer.