It feels as though all types of media are experiencing incredible change. Some forms of traditional media are shifting to entirely digital alternatives. Radio shows and programmes are shifting toward podcasting, and music videos have moved from TV to YouTube, as have many video gaming adverts. Content writing has become increasingly digital, with more people opting for digital newsletters and newspaper subscriptions rather than traditional, physical paper forms.
Gaming, however, hasn’t just adapted to the digital world; it’s been integral to the industry’s expansion. Whereas other forms of media adjusted to the digital world, gaming was, in many ways, waiting impatiently for technology and the internet to catch up to the bold plans it had already laid out.
Assessing the impact of groundbreaking gaming sectors
The UK is in a unique position concerning the broader gaming industry. Not only has the UK been a hub for some of the greatest game designs of this century, but with a regulatory focus on casino gaming and sports gambling, many multibillion-pound companies have used the UK and Ireland as a springboard to launch their global operations.
The best betting sites UK customers can access bear many similarities with the broader international gambling community. That’s because the emergence of digital platforms has broken down the localised barriers that previously existed in land-based sports betting and casino gaming and has brought a new range of people into the industry.
Some of these people include software developers, gaming developers who used to work on other genres, such as home video console games and marketers who switched their focus from traditional gaming to gambling platforms once they realised how much potential existed within this growing gaming world.
Using gaming consoles for other media
It’s not just casino gaming and sports betting that has witnessed an enormous surge in popularity as this only makes up one corner of the market. Gaming consoles have become one-stop media hubs. For instance, some of the greatest movies of all time are going through revamps and re-releases, with over 100 of the greatest movies appearing on top streaming platforms.
These are all available on your gaming console, so instead of the TV and PC being the dominant platforms for watching films and TV series, gaming consoles are now the preferred choice for millions of people. Both Xbox and PlayStation offer easy access to the internet, streaming platforms and music streaming services, including Spotify and Apple Music.
TV and movie crossovers
This isn’t the only crossover element though as a significant number of movies and games have inspired each other since the beginning of this decade. The Last of Us, a TV series that has generated colossal critical acclaim and audience figures for HBO, was originally based on a game. Some might argue that it was originally based on a book, but the game, which has the same name, is widely reported as the main influence for the TV show.
The idea that a video game could influence a multimillion-pound smash-hit TV show hasn’t really been explored before. Although there were attempts at doing this with Tomb Raider in the early 2000s and Street Fighter back in the early 90s, gaming is going through a renaissance.
Gaming is growing enormously in popularity and size, encouraging huge investment, and with such positive variables to contend with, it’s not a shock to see games significantly impacting the direction of film and TV shows.
Smash-hit successes
Although Tomb Raider and Street Fighter achieved moderate success as games that influenced blockbuster films, there has been a surge in gaming ideas that have become phenomenal smash hits, including Super Mario Bros, which ended up grossing over $1bn and became one of the highest grossing films of all time within its first week. It notched up box-office takings of $180m in the first seven days of its release.
These numbers can’t be ignored, and there’s now a vested interest from those in film and TV in finding inspiration from some of the most notable gaming titles out there. While this isn’t a new idea, the updated way of developing these films with cutting-edge graphics and unique storytelling has turned it into a money machine for streaming giants and colossal streaming companies.
Final thoughts
The internet has made the world a smaller place, and in the realm of entertainment, this has meant that more companies and creators are scrambling to create projects from a smaller scope of ideas. Crossover influence will continue to shape the modern market.
Many contemporary films and crossover ideas have struck a chord with audiences. Although there are examples of other forms of media, most notably books, having a huge influence on movies, video games are becoming increasingly important in the vast ecosystem of global entertainment and media.
Expect this influence to continue growing throughout the rest of this decade as huge streaming platforms and movie companies aim to cherry-pick the best ideas from the gaming world and turn them into profitable ideas. Likewise, expect to see gaming consoles’ capabilities cater to the wide ecosystem of media and take more of the market share away from conventional streaming devices like PCs.
