Hollywood Making Fewer Movie Games

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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Hollywood Making Fewer Movie Games



Good news for gamers! Movie based games are on the decline.

According to publishers, you'll be seeing fewer videogames based on movies this year, as the large investments of time and money required to make a decent game is putting studios off. Not only that, but the poor sales of Ubisoft's Avatar [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97465-Avatar-The-Game-Puts-the-Hurt-on-Ubisoft ]game is showing that the practice of releasing something of a lower quality is starting to be unprofitable.

"The movie-based games business the way we have known it is broken," said Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president Martin Tremblay. "Quality is king now and quality is expensive, so it makes more sense than ever to own your intellectual property instead of paying for a license."

That's not to say that you won't see game based on licensed properties, but it would seem that the days of tie-in games are numbered, as the number of titles drops year after year. The LA Times [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-moviegames-20100615,0,2639964.story] reports that 15 tie-in games were released in 2009, versus the eleven scheduled for 2011.

"When you're asking consumers to shell out $60 for a game in a tough economy, they are going to be discerning with their dollars," said Take-Two Chief Executive Ben Feder. "That's why the strategy we're pursuing now is to publish a select number of quality games and create our own marketing events."

Source: LA Times [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-moviegames-20100615,0,2639964.story]



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OANST

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Aug 10, 2009
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Logan Westbrook said:
The LA Times [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-moviegames-20100615,0,2639964.story] reports that 15 tie-in games were released in 2009, versus the eleven scheduled for 2001.
I take it you meant to say 2011, right?

At what point do I start getting paid for editing everyone in this site's articles?
 

scotth266

Wait when did I get a sub
Jan 10, 2009
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What they need to do is to stop trying to release at the same time as the movie. Give the devs time to work with the licenses and we could actually see some results. Currently the schedules for making tie-in games are insane because the license holders demand the games come out at the same time as the movies: and that results in shit games.
 

thenumberthirteen

Unlucky for some
Dec 19, 2007
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So they've realised that GOOD games sell. Finally the publishers shouldn't be the last to figure that out.
 

E-Hybrid

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Jan 25, 2010
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So how long did it take for these people to realize this?

I can't even remember many decent movie-game except for spider-man 2 of course
 

uppitycracker

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Oct 9, 2008
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"Well, since we aren't capable of making them quality games, I guess we're just gonna do it less".


Yup, glad they were finally honest about it.
 

Tharticus

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Dec 10, 2008
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I could recall that it was E.T that caused the video game crash of 1983.

Didn't certain publishers learn about that?

Oh well, that means less glorifying advertising which is good enough for my book.
 

sephiroth1991

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Dec 3, 2009
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Now all we need to do is get rid off the casual pointless waist of time games and then we can all sing


OT:Well at least i know good game companys arn't loosing billions on "already going to be shit before they come out" games
 

Jaebird

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Aug 19, 2008
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Let's hope that as a result of this we will see fewer studios shut down.

For what it's worth, at least the publisher/developer/whoever behind the Clash of the Titans game had to right idea to put it out alongside the DVD release. One would think this strategy would be best, considering you can go to a rental store (that isn't closing down) and pick up both releases at the same time.

And it would only cost you, like, an average of $10-$15 for both, depending what store you go to. Maybe less if you're going to a Mom & Pop rental store. Sure, it's not a direct sale for the publishers to reap from, but at least it's better than selling $60 worth of an unfinished product.
 

Tzekelkan

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Dec 27, 2009
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OANST said:
Logan Westbrook said:
The LA Times [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-moviegames-20100615,0,2639964.story] reports that 15 tie-in games were released in 2009, versus the eleven scheduled for 2001.
I take it you meant to say 2011, right?

At what point do I start getting paid for editing everyone in this site's articles?
Actually, he probably meant 2010, otherwise the comparison to 2009 makes no sense.

I now demand you send me any money you may receive.
 

Dorkmaster Flek

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Mar 13, 2008
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Is anyone else disheartened by the quote "Quality is king now and quality is expensive"? It seems like one of those pesky self-evident truths, but if only...
 

OANST

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Aug 10, 2009
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Tzekelkan said:
OANST said:
Logan Westbrook said:
The LA Times [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-fi-ct-moviegames-20100615,0,2639964.story] reports that 15 tie-in games were released in 2009, versus the eleven scheduled for 2001.
I take it you meant to say 2011, right?

At what point do I start getting paid for editing everyone in this site's articles?
Actually, he probably meant 2010, otherwise the comparison to 2009 makes no sense.

I now demand you send me any money you may receive.
I assumed that he was making a comparison of a year that that they had full data on to an upcoming year's scheduled releases. However, I think you're right.

I think that we can all agree that this site's editor either can't read or just doesn't bother to.
 

Therumancer

Citation Needed
Nov 28, 2007
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I find it odd to hear them flat out admitting that these games were shovelware. I mean we knew that, but it's still odd to hear a company saying it.

I think this is generally a good thing, as it will hopefully mean more focus on games that aren't low-grade shovelware with a liscence attached.
 

Thyunda

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May 4, 2009
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Interestingly enough, my choice for only good film tie-in game is Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen, one which everyone seems so fond of criticising.
 

Jared

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Jul 14, 2009
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Well, they have now learned at least...how long it stays like that though...
 
Jun 26, 2009
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Straying Bullet said:
Finally they came to their senses. The game of Avatar sucked ass and I am GLAD I haven't paid a single dime for it.

I do secretly wish for an epic Sci-fi named "Mass Effect".
[sub] [sub] so do I [/sub] [/sub]
OT: i think avatar was GOOD for a movie-game but thats like a girl saying 'I'm more pretty! then Susen Boyle. So
sephiroth1991 said:
I like you. your'e cool