For decades, the movie industry has become a beacon of entertainment for millions around the world. Entertainment has expanded as technology advances which is why the video-game industry has been able to surpass the movie industry in terms of how much money is coming in. Look into these ways that the video game industry has been able to grab people from in and outside of Hollywood.
Outselling movies
Since the first game being released in 2001, the Halo franchise has quickly grown to become one of the most popular videogame franchises in the world. The developers of the franchise have spent multiple games combining engaging storytelling for their single-player campaigns along with award-winning multiplayer that keeps people playing with their friends and rivals online for years at a time. In 2012, the franchise broke records by generating $220 million in sales through the first 24 hours of release, beating the record of any blockbuster movie in history. The Halo franchise has since decreased in popularity as time goes by but more videogame franchises have been able to fill in the gap of breaking sales records like the Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto franchises.
Hollywood directors
Videogames are similar to movies in ways that they engage consumers through interesting storytelling and stunning visuals. Hollywood directors have noticed this which is why directors like Paul Haggis, director of Oscar-winning movie Crash, have signed on to help write videogames like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Some directors have even put a more hands-on role in shaping entire videogames like what Steven Spielberg did with Medal of Honor in 1999. It’s clear now that videogames will continue to become more popular with the general public and those in the movie industry looking to broaden their talent.
Acting roles
Typically when you think of an actor, you think of someone who stands in front of a camera. However, technology for videogames has advanced so much to the point that a traditional Hollywood actor can bring all of their talents through a combination of voice-acting and mocap acting. Actors like Norman Reedus and Keanu Reeves even play such a large role in videogames today that people who would go see a movie just for a specific actor might do so for videogames as well. Motion capture technology is constantly advancing which is why we should expect actors to keep playing larger roles in videogames as the years pass.
