Hollywood is responsible for the creation of several well-known gaming characters. In reality, Tinseltown has inspired almost every video game genre to some extent. Many people are unaware, however, that Hollywood and video games are still influencing one other.
Beginning with the original Tron and the first Super Mario Bros movie in the 1980s and early 1990s, video game films began to make their way to the big screen. During this time, collaborations between video game makers and film studios grew more popular, with numerous successful ventures being launched.
For example, in 1997, world-renowned director Steven Spielberg devised the concept for Medal of Honour, a video game. That game would go on to become the start of a 17-game franchise. Medal of Honour: Above and Beyond, the most recent game in the series, honours the franchise’s 20th anniversary.
Hollywood has given gaming a lot of creative talent, and Steven Spielberg is far from the only one. Jon Feltheimer and Dean Devlin, two Lionsgate executives, joined Zenimax Media in 2000, the owner of numerous well-known IPs such as Dishonored, Doom, and The Elder Scrolls Online. In 2002, action actor Vin Diesel founded Tigon Studios, his own development firm.
There are plenty of other examples of Hollywood impacting video games throughout history, but they only explain how we got to where we are now, not the present status of this mutually beneficial connection.
Movies often lack the interactive components found in video games, resulting in a lack of compelling plot elements. It’s a regular issue in movies, but it doesn’t appear to be as prevalent in TV episodes. Maybe it’s a question of long-form vs. episodic material, or maybe a video game plot needs to be transformed before it can be adapted. Regardless matter the cause, television is currently the most popular form of entertainment.
Having saying that, Hollywood hasn’t completely abandoned feature films. Several highly anticipated video game films are set to hit theatres soon, including Uncharted and Mario, both of which are set to hit theatres in 2022.
