Oh hi – me again. Yes, I’m going to post more. *Knocks on wood* (Luckily my head is nearby)
Today I examine why it seems that all movies (at least the popular ones) become games. Hell, for that matter popular TV shows as well. (No, I didn’t intend on rhyming, really.)
So this blockbuster movie comes out, lets say a little movie called Harry Potter – you might of heard of it, it played here and there. It’s one of those must see movies for young and old, it’s quite popular, makes tons of cash at the box office KA-CHING! Everyone can’t wait for it, everyone can’t stop talking about it (don’t send me any evil e-mails, you just might be that someone who couldn’t give a crap what movie is out and when) and it’s the topic of conversation on every other tweet, facebook post and so on.
Then almost within the same commercial timeline, you’ll see a little bit about “And coming soon, the Harry Potter game – available on every damn system that exists.” Ohhh ohhh, oh must we?
No really – I understand the business side to things, gotta make the cash while the commodity is hawt – understood. But really? These games retail on average for $50 a pop, who do they appeal to? I just can’t picture an adult gamer (hmm oxymoron maybe?) drooling over a video game based on the latest trendy movie or TV show.
Now to me the real market is to either the youngsters who really just want to have in their possession anything and everything with a certain fad. Yes, I said fad. They see the logo from Harry Potter or The Simpsons, go apeshit and absolutely need to have it. Hey, that’s part of growing up right? No problem.
Then onto the parents/grandparents/relatives looking for a gift for little Jimmy whom the last time they spoke only could speak about the Harry Potter movie or are too distracted to bother talking to them because the Simpsons are on TV (when are the Simpsons, NOT on TV?). So they go out and buy the game – fine.
The problem is, besides the game having a name, it is sheer utter crap. Umm, I’m not saying any precious Harry Potter things are crap, just in general. I once bought the Hell’s Kitchen game (used for $5) in a moment of insanity, thinking it might be fun. The first couple of times you get beeped by Gordon Ramsey make you chuckle, but then he starts beeping at you even when you’re doing great. Then it’s the same thing over and over, just tougher. I played it and wondered where the fun was. I can see the “amusement” value, but not the fun value. That’s the difference between a game built as a sole entity and one based upon a popular movie/tv show.
So damn generic. Sure, kids have fun for awhile and that’s important to note, but are they having $40 or $50 worth of fun?
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