As the city’s most populous district, Paris’ 11^th arrondissement has risen to become a cultural nerve center. Suitably draped in monuments dedicated to local thinkers and ideologues, the ‘onzieme’ regularly plays host to foreign tourists in search of the famed Parisian experience. By day, the streets are spattered with foreign shutterbugs examining the Place de Bastille and the Cirque d’Hiver. And when the sun sets, the 11^th district comes alive with the sounds of French house music and half-drunk dilettantes.

In the midst of all this noise, tucked away in an innocuous alleyway, a counter-culture is quickly finding its voice. The 'NoLifers' are carving out their territory.

Entering the headquarters of Nolife, I’m immediately greeted by Sébastien Ruchet, the channel’s CEO and occasional host. After a terse chat about the details of the television station, I’m led through the labyrinthine offices and introduced to each employee in turn. The brick-walled basement, where the majority of the work takes place, resembles more a Résistance safe house than an office building. In keeping with that theme, the editors and technicians speak in hushed tones about the upcoming week’s programming. Japanese phrases and jargonistic acronyms are tossed around with the coolness of people among their own kind. I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve stumbled into a conspiracy. But what exactly are they conspiring to do? Transform the landscape of games journalism, it would seem. 

In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been shocked by the eerie atmosphere.  The very existence of Nolife is an act of rebellion, lashing out against France’s lackluster reporting industry. Prior to the channel’s June 2007 launch, gamers had few alternatives to the deceptive, market-driven ploys of other TV stations. The likes of MTV, GameOne and imported satellite channels would regularly cast chesty blondes as presenters with the hope of attracting younger crowds. “That’s not to say we have a problem with attractive women,” exclaims Sébastien with a toothy grin. Instead, the Nolife approach is to allow devoted, experienced gamers to host each program. It’s clear that these guys have not and will not compromise their values. In lieu of a paid model, you’re more likely to see a balding, zaftig man in front of the camera—someone you might call ‘friend.’ This method may give first-time viewers the feeling that Nolife is an amateur outfit, but allow me to assure you, it is anything but.