Jeu-Dit at FLIM 2026: behind the scenes of the board game world

For its episode 5, Jeu-Dit exceptionally leaves the studio for a special summer show filmed in the heart of the Montreal International Board Game Festival — FLIM.

For nearly three hours, Hugo and Leany set out to meet those who bring the board game world to life on a daily basis: content creators, publishers, shop owners, event organizers, volunteers, and entrepreneurs in the gaming industry.

At the center of this episode: Simon Murat from Le Passe-Temps and Tatiana Polouchine from Origames and Les P’tits Pitchs, but also Arthur Treluyer from Abyss, David Ospina from Le Bureau du Loisir, the FLIM team, Mimi and Leyley from Ludivortex, as well as Marc and David from the Joker Pub Ludique in Terrebonne.

A show that asks an essential question: how to turn your passion for board games into a sustainable professional project?

FLIM: Montreal becomes a giant playground

The Montreal International Board Game Festival has quickly become an important meeting place for the French-speaking gaming community.

Its second edition was held on July 24, 25, and 26, 2026, in Montreal's Latin Quarter, with free programming dedicated to board games, creators, publishers, and meetings with the public. After a first edition that attracted approximately 43,000 festival-goers, the organization announced about twenty exhibitors, fifty volunteers, and numerous artists and speakers for 2026. leflim.com

It was therefore the ideal place to take Jeu-Dit out of the studio and go directly to meet the industry.

Rather than just presenting current new releases, this episode mainly seeks to understand who is behind the games, videos, shops, and events that players enjoy.

How to succeed as a board game media outlet?

Creating content about board games might seem simple: a camera, a few games, and a YouTube channel.

The reality is obviously much more complex.

Through discussions with several content creators present at FLIM, including Tatiana Polouchine, the episode addresses some of the essential elements for developing a gaming media outlet: finding your identity, learning to communicate in front of a camera, developing consistency, and above all, continuing even when results are not immediate.

Tatiana is notably behind Les P’tits Pitchs, the video format for Origames. Within the French publisher, she acts as web art director, notably manages their Instagram presence, and participates in the creation, presentation, and editing of video content. Origames

Her background allows for addressing a reality often forgotten: behind a few minutes of video are preparation, writing, filming, sound, lighting, editing, and a lot of experimentation.

What equipment do you need to create board game content?

One of the topics discussed during the show concerns precisely the equipment needed to get started.

A good camera can obviously improve the result, but it does not replace the basics: understandable sound, adequate lighting, and a presentation capable of holding attention.

And above all, no equipment replaces perseverance.

Several projects that seem perfectly established today started modestly before gradually finding their style and their audience.

Simon Murat: from Le Passe-Temps to content creation and publishing

Another major guest of this episode: Simon Murat, a well-known figure in the French-speaking gaming community and owner of Le Passe-Temps.

His journey allows Jeu-Dit to explore several facets of the trade.

Before taking over Le Passe-Temps, Simon had already been working there for several years. He then took over the business in 2021. Since then, the company has developed its physical presence, its online store, and especially a significant video presence around board games. La Gazette du Midi

In the show, the discussion therefore goes far beyond simple shop management.

We talk about content creation, relationship with the community, entrepreneurship, but also game creation and publishing, particularly with projects like Camarades and Mystère.

This makes it possible to show how much the different professions in the board game world can now overlap: salesperson, communicator, creator, publisher, and entrepreneur can sometimes be part of the same career path.

Why do board game shops remain essential?

While online sales are occupying an increasingly important place, the role of specialized shops comes up regularly in the discussions of this episode.

A game shop isn't just for selling a box.

It is used to advise a player, explain a game, help discover a new release, and create a local community.

This was one of the topics highlighted by Simon Murat at FLIM 2026 with his conference “Play Local”, dedicated to the importance of local shops. L'initiative

The show also talks with Arthur Treluyer from Abyss, bringing another perspective on the operation of a specialized business and the challenges faced by gaming shops.

For both publishers and players, these places remain an important gateway to board games.

Organizing a gaming festival: everything the public doesn't see

An event like FLIM obviously does not rely solely on exhibitors.

Jeu-Dit also meets several people who make the festival possible.

Germain Malhouitre, a member of the organization, looks back at the behind-the-scenes of FLIM, while Marine Beringer, who participated in the festival's art direction and scenography, helps to better understand all the work necessary to create a visual identity and transform an urban space into a gaming event.

The show also gives the floor to Stéphane and Étienne, FLIM volunteers.

A way to remember that behind the stages, gaming tables, and activities lies an entire team of passionate people.

Ludivortex and Le Bureau du Loisir: other ways to make a living from games

The board game industry is not limited to authors, publishers, and retailers.

With David Ospina from Le Bureau du Loisir as well as Mimi and Leyley from Ludivortex, this episode explores other ways to turn gaming into a professional or media project.

The discussion notably returns to the creation of an identity, the development of a community, and the perseverance required before a project really begins to find its audience.

This is, in fact, one of the major threads of this FLIM special: the successes visible today are often the result of several years of much less visible work.

Joker Pub Ludique Terrebonne: playing, eating, and creating a community

The Jeu-Dit team also met with Marc and David from the Joker Pub Ludique Terrebonne.

The gaming pub concept represents another interesting facet of the board game ecosystem: turning gaming into a social experience.

The Joker Pub in Terrebonne combines a public gaming library, dining, and activities. The establishment notably offers quiz nights, gaming events, bazaars, as well as packages for groups, birthdays, and corporate events. Le Joker Pub Ludique

The goal, once again, goes beyond just selling games.

It is about creating a place where people can discover titles, meet other players, and simply spend an evening around a table.

Board games, an industry primarily driven by enthusiasts

By bringing together so many different profiles in a single episode, this Jeu-Dit special shows the full diversity of the gaming world.

A board game can pass through the hands:

of an author who imagines the concept;

of a publisher who guides its development;

of an art team that creates its universe;

of a media outlet that helps discover it;

of a distributor;

of a shop that recommends it;

then finally of an activity leader or a gaming pub that facilitates playing it.

And behind almost every one of these steps are people who started with a passion.

The message that particularly emerges from this episode is probably that of perseverance.

Creating a channel, launching a shop, publishing a game, or organizing a festival takes time. Results are rarely instantaneous, but the journeys shared at FLIM show that a project can grow considerably when you continue to learn, create, and build a community.

Watch Jeu-Dit episode 5 — FLIM Special

In this episode, find among others:

Arthur Treluyer — Abyss
David Ospina — Le Bureau du Loisir
Germain Malhouitre — FLIM organization
Marine Beringer — art direction and scenography
Stéphane and Étienne — FLIM volunteers
Mimi and Leyley — Ludivortex
Simon Murat — Le Passe-Temps
Tatiana Polouchine — Origames / Les P’tits Pitchs
Marc and David — Joker Pub Ludique Terrebonne

The full episode lasts nearly three hours and was recorded during FLIM on July 24, 25, and 26, 2026.

Watch Jeu-Dit episode 5: Summer special at FLIM on YouTube.
Watch the full episode on YouTube

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FAQ — Jeu-Dit at FLIM

I strongly recommend keeping this part. It is particularly interesting for SEO, Google snippets, and AI response engines.

What is FLIM?

FLIM is the Montreal International Board Game Festival, an event dedicated to board games and French-speaking gaming culture. The 2026 edition took place for free from July 24 to 26 in Montreal's Latin Quarter.

Who are the guests of Jeu-Dit episode 5?

The episode welcomes in particular Simon Murat from Le Passe-Temps, Tatiana Polouchine from Origames, Arthur Treluyer from Abyss, David Ospina from Le Bureau du Loisir, Mimi and Leyley from Ludivortex, members of the FLIM organization, and the team from Joker Pub Ludique Terrebonne.

Who is Simon Murat?

Simon Murat is the owner of Le Passe-Temps, a French shop specializing in board games based in Toulouse and also present in Montauban. He is also very active in creating video content around board games.

Who is Tatiana Polouchine?

Tatiana Polouchine is web art director at Origames. She notably participates in the publisher's video content and is known for presenting Les P’tits Pitchs.

What is Jeu-Dit episode 5 about?

The episode notably discusses content creation for board games, the equipment needed to produce videos, perseverance, managing a gaming shop, game publishing, organizing a festival, and how a gaming pub operates.

Where to watch Jeu-Dit?

Jeu-Dit is available for free on YouTube as well as in podcast format on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, and all other podcast platforms.

The show features discussions with authors, publishers, media, shops, and other players in the board game world.