France’s best regions for online gaming according to OECD broadband data

In 2024, the video games industry generated almost USD 190 billion in revenue from billions of players across the globe, surpassing both global music and box-office revenues. Games like League of Legends, Valorant, and Counter-Strike 2 now fill arenas with roaring crowds, elevate players into celebrities, and inspire new generations of online gamers.

However, with the rise of competitive gaming, or “esports “, performance doesn’t just depend on your skill; it depends on your Internet connection. Online gaming demands real-time responsiveness, where latency (ping) and bandwidth can make or break a gaming experience. Even a few milliseconds of lag time can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

So, if connection quality impacts your shot at victory, where do you get the best connection?

A new OECD report dives into broadband performance in more than 60 countries using real-world data from Ookla and Opensignal to measure urban-rural disparities in terms of fixed and mobile broadband download/upload speeds, latency and network consistency.

In good news, between 2019 to 2024, the median fixed broadband speed across the OECD tripled, from 53 Mbps to 178 Mbps, while mobile speeds rose from 30 Mbps to 113 Mbps according to data from Ookla, thanks to 5G rollouts. But progress hasn’t been uniform. Urban areas across the OECD enjoy, on average, fixed download speeds 44% higher and latency 23% lower than rural ones (Q4 2024), an edge that could be game-changing in fast-paced play.

From hosting some of Europe’s largest gaming events to teams like Team Vitality winning big in Counterstrike, the country has made its mark in the eSports world. Even President Macron has invited French esports leaders to the Elysee and publicly celebrated the success of French gamers.

Underpinning some of these developments is a strong foundation in connectivity. France ranks among the OECD's best for user-experienced broadband performance, with median fixed download speeds of 278 Mbps and upload speeds of 208 Mbps (Q4 2024), according to data from Ookla. This places France near the top in OECD rankings. These developments have been driven by infrastructure investment in fibre networks and supported by an enabling policy environment that encourages competition.

While France’s national statistics are impressive when it comes to download and upload speeds, not all areas are equal when it comes to latency. And just like in other countries, there is a persistent and measurable urban-rural divide.

OECD’s new report shows that the lowest latency can be found in the Île-de-France region around Paris. The top performer is the Hauts-de-Seine department to the West of Paris, with an average latency of just 4.86ms. Other leading regions include the Val-de-Marne, Seine-Saint-Denis, Yvelines and Val-d'Oise with 5ms average, with Paris proper averaging 6.5ms.

In contrast, gamers in eastern regions face greater challenges. Departments like Doubs, Côte d’Or and Jura average latencies between 19-21ms, around four times higher than the Paris region. Similar challenges affect parts of the southwest, such as Aveyron and Tarn, and other areas closer to the Pyrenees.

While gamers may feel the difference in download speeds and latency immediately, high-quality broadband benefits much more than online entertainment. Great broadband networks can help rural communities to participate fully in the digital economy. As more people work, study, and collaborate online, broadband connectivity can boost local and regional development, help areas overcome the “tyranny of distance” and improve access to public services, such as healthcare and education.

The good news is that broadband quality is improving rapidly across all OECD countries. But significant differences remain across countries and regions, with some pulling ahead. In France, fixed broadband speeds are now good enough in most places to let you keep pace with gamers on the other side of your match. So, whether you're in Paris or Provence, the future of competitive, mobile, or co-operative gaming is within reach. Just plug in, connect, and play.