Paramount is...going to publish games.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/paramount-getting-into-the-games-business/

We knew that Paramount was 'very, very excited' about the games space, but today we're getting the first look at how that enthusiasm will translate into a publishing business. Variety reported today on Paramount's expanded interactive department, which will put a focus on mobile, handheld and casual games because ... well, because they're cheap to develop and businesses like money.

The games wing isn't completely separate from the films business though, Paramount will only be putting its muscle behind new licenses and catalog titles (it will continue to license properties out to other companies). So ... catalog titles, eh? Dare we hope? Is it finally time for the whip-snapping, bullet-dodging action ... of Pootie Tang: The Game?

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No thanks.

It's an interesting move. The film industry has enjoyed a long time of being the number one grossing entertainment industry, but recent years have seen videogames clearly raising the bar beyond what the film industry seems capable of generating. While I don't think this in any way signals the end of big ticket hollywood films, it is evidence of very large production studios taking notice of an emerging and increasing entertainment industry.

I wonder if this will be a portent of things to come. I also wonder if a marriage of film production studios (say, Industrial Light and Magic, or Pixar) and game development studios (say Ubisoft or Rockstar) could benefit the quality of game production.

That is a long way off. Casual/mobile games won't prove anything either way, but if Paramount succeeds and other hollywood studios (Universal, MGM, New Line, etc.) begin to follow suit, it could drastically change the videogame and film landscape 10 or 15 years from now.

This one's actually a pretty big surprise. It isn't every day that movie makers start publishing video games.

stealth toilet said:

but recent years have seen videogames clearly raising the bar beyond what the film industry seems capable of generating.

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Whoa, whoa, whoa, now, when did this one happen? Sure, Halo 3 beat out some big summer blockbusters, in terms of box office revenue, but when is the last time a game managed to sell 8.5 million copies in one week (in North America alone mind you), like Transformers did? Combine that with the half billion+ Transformers made at the box office globally, and you've got a figure Halo 3 can't even approach.

Well, the video game industry makes tons more, though it is unfair due to the price difference.

fhqwhgads said:

Well, the video game industry makes tons more, though it is unfair due to the price difference.

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I doubt it, considering it isn't uncommon for one or two movies a year to gross over 1 billion dollars, worldwide. The game industry, as a whole, put up record profits this year with 18 billion. Combine box office, with DVD sales, and you have a number that's a hell of a lot bigger than that.