Why video games don’t get the same respect as movies

Joser Fares, the director of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and the recently released A Way Out, hit the front page of this year’s Game Awards as the hero eloquently called the award Hollywood’s highest. “Get rid of the Oscars!” Fares said as the show was being broadcast live to 17 million viewers.

The Game Awards, initiated by journalist Geoff Keighley in 2003 at the Spike Video Game Awards, are promoted and recognized as the Oscars for the gaming industry. But many people outside the industry scoff at the comparison – and some in the industry as well. Many people wondered about Fares’ statement. The previous conversation focused on his game A Way Out, but he defamed Hollywood soon after, leading many to wonder: “Why?”

In addition to being a game director, Fares is also a filmmaker, so his opinion of Oscar and Hollywood in general may be influenced by his own experience. His comments, however, have sparked a new debate: Why don’t video games receive the same respect as movies?

In terms of revenue, the game industry has surpassed the studios. According to Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the game industry grossed $30.4 billion in 2016 in the US. Meanwhile, movies only took in $11.6 billion at the box office in 2016. That doesn’t include take-home sales, but Blu-ray and online downloads aren’t enough to narrow it down. nearly $20 billion difference between the two industries.

However, revenue figures are not the only thing to compare these two entertainment segments. What makes the film so influential on viewers and critics is the influence of preconceived notions. The movie characters and actors who play them become culture changers, influencing fashion trends, hairstyles, personalities, and sometimes morals. Look no further, see how culture is influenced by Star Wars, Disney princesses, Indiana Jones, Marvel superheroes – or generations before that: Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz or the influence of actresses like Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn on fashion and the perception of beauty in society. Philosophically speaking: When people watch movies, they often see the images they want to be.

So is there any room left for video games? Video games are the main form of entertainment that allows us to be in control of what we are watching. Although the game often “leads” us to different tasks, the choice of what we want to do and the ability to control the character is in the hands of the player. In addition, with “open world” and first-person games, the line between object and viewer gradually becomes blurred, as gamers are given the opportunity to role-play the main character.

Character customization has been a tool in video games for many years now, allowing players to create a character that reflects themselves, or the character they want. That system goes even further thanks to face-scanning technology. It allows the player to put their face into the game and attach it to the main character. Take for example the NBA 2K series, the game that allows players to put their selfies in the character avatar, so that we can control ourselves, as an NBA superstar.

Seeing yourself in the game and playing the main character is an experience that movies can’t do. More than that, people buy games not because famous actors appear in them, originally to help boost its revenue. In addition, big names in the film industry are also gradually encroaching on the game segment. They’ve been involved in game dubbing and motion capture for many years. Actors such as Gary Oldman, Josh Duhamel, Ellen Page, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Walken, Liam Neeson, and many more have voiced the game’s characters.

Storytelling in the game becomes more complicated, and the actors have more to work with, but it also involves issues of time and money. The base salary for a 4-hour dub is $825, but actors who are more shaved often have a higher claim. However, with improved motion capture technology, the days of walking into the recording studio to get paid for your 4-hour work are over, yet many actors continue to turn to game. The upcoming Death Stranding, by Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima, includes elaborate graphics and motion capture technology that required their actors, Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelson, to wear suits. I have attached motion capture devices and acted like I was filming a movie. The story revealed in the latest trailer has a lot of depth. It makes fans have to tinker with every detail in it to discover more about the plot.

In addition to the familiar faces, there are characters and franchises in the game that are loved by everyone – they not only rival the film industry but have perhaps surpassed them. In the 1990s, a national survey in the US published by Duke University found that Mario was the character more recognized by American children than Disney’s Mickey Mouse. Characters like Link, Zelda, and Donkey Kong have been staples of pop culture for over 30 years. Both Zelda and Mario are constantly having new titles released this year, and both have been successful both in terms of sales and acclaim. Meanwhile, new characters like Halo’s Master Chief or Overwatch heroes (which have over 35 million players) have influenced new generations of gamers.

Another fact to mention is the diversity of video games in entertainment media. Games have also appeared in Hollywood movies, with two blockbusters (Tomb Raider and Rampage) coming out in 2018. The popularity of esports, eSports, has also created a new billion-dollar industry and attracted investors. such as Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots in the NFL, and Andy Miller, co-owner of the NBA Sacramento Kings.

What video games lack when compared to movies is not the financial success, or the names of the products, the stars or the characters, or the audience, or the plot of the game. One major element that video games seem to lack compared to movies is the lavish parties and press conferences. Red carpets, tuxedo sets, bottles of champagne, trendy hairstyles or spotlight photos are far from a “video game.”

There is also the concept of “gamers vs. people don’t play games” separates these two industries. Hollywood’s overwhelmingly flashy way of life stands in stark contrast to the world of video games, even though the gaming industry is more profitable and is having a big influence on today’s youth culture. We can blame the concept of the brand, when games are usually for younger people, with people having a lot of free time to participate in interactive entertainment, often need to invest quite a lot of time. . Perhaps there’s an anti-culture mentality in the game that sets it apart from the limelight, gala sets featured in Hollywood events.

Whatever the reason for the difference in perception of the two disciplines, things have begun to change. As the younger generation grows up with video games, they will bring its influence, the influence of game culture gradually grows larger. Hollywood may be twice as old as the gaming industry, but for those born in the 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s or beyond, the difference between a hundred-year-old industry and the gaming industry just stands out. recently will certainly not be much, nor will it be less important. We can say, the game industry is entering its golden years, to become a ‘holy’ land.