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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsActivision exec: Videogames will eclipse other entertainment
by Mike Schramm 
Jan 13th 2009 at 11:00AM
Activision-Blizzard exec Mike Griffith also made a showing at last week's CES, crowing about an industry that he and his company are heading towards the top of. He said to a crowd there that videogames would "eclipse" "movies, recorded music and TV" as forms of entertainment in the future. He claimed that media such as films and music were passive, and that games are moving ever closer to becoming "a legitimate story-telling medium that rivals feature films."Which all seems true, except that it's coming from someone who stands to make a lot of money off of just that happening. Still, for all of the bluster of Activision-Blizzard's hotshots, they've got a few of the most popular franchises in gaming behind them -- Blizzard (of course), the Call of Duty franchise, and Guitar Hero, which has made over a billion dollars for Activision. Especially in a time of declining CD sales, Griffith's words ring truer than ever.
But let's not forget, of course, that you can't have great stories without great storytellers, and the folks at Blizzard are definitely that. For all of Activision's bragging, they can't forget that these franchises, all of them, came from strong and talented studios -- Call of Duty was crafted by Infinity Ward, Guitar Hero by Harmonix, and obviously all of Blizzard's properties were put together by the company formerly known as Silicon and Synapse. Griffith can brag that his media is taking over the world, but we hope Activision doesn't forget who helped them get there.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Economy, Making money
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Eldoron Jan 13th 2009 1:18PM
American/European PC game industry would be even better without the illegal downloading, therefore they would have more money, therefore they wouldnt just grip that few money-making franchises they have now. It would be better for everyone, but try to explain this to a pirate-bay user.
Charlie Jan 15th 2009 10:07AM
I sincerley doubt that illegal downloading has a large impact on the video game market. Is it a concern? Probobly, but not hat big of a deal.
Consoles games are nearly immune to the problem (it's rare to find a hacked console), and computer games need cd keys, registration, etc.
Music and Movies just need the right codec =/.
RG-Rhodin Jan 13th 2009 5:15PM
Yes, yes. But will it eclipse porn revenues? Then I'll be impressed.
Kyle! Jan 13th 2009 5:34PM
CD sales aren't declining because of video games, they're declining because of online sources like iTunes or through piracy.
Charlie Jan 15th 2009 10:04AM
Its one reason.
10 years ago you didn't really buy DVDs or download stuff off the internet. Now you do.
DVDs, Video Games, Illegal Dowloading, Streaming Services, Itunes (and other servives), lower costs of production leading to more bands making CDs, etc. All those things are all part of the reason for decline.
P.S. I hate the RIAA. One day i'm gonna get a job offer from them though and sell-out in a second.
jurandr Jan 13th 2009 7:07PM
"a legitimate story-telling medium that rivals feature films."
Yeah, that might be true, but you do need to keep in mind that (a made up statistic) 70% of the playe-rbase is the person typing "LOLore" whenever the storyline is brought up on the forums. Not many people give a about a good storyline.
Most gamers these days want to kill people and Tbag them. Hooray for xbox live, I guess.
Sean Jan 13th 2009 7:39PM
Why is interactivity a virtue above all others when it comes to story telling?
Even within the medium of games, there are many stories that exist only by virtue of them being told to the player, of their essential linearity even if we are pressing a button at times to advance it. The great irony of games like Bioshock, whose narrative is lauded as an example of a unique way to tell stories in games, is that the game is still fundamentally linear besides the largely irrelevant moral choice involving the little sisters.
Beyond the question of active or passive entertainment though is how the level of interaction functions within the medium to create entertaining experiences. Griffith's blanket statement does not do justice to the various elements that constitute our experiences, part of which always involve an element of interaction between the audience and artist. While I don't necessarily ascribe to a "constructionist" interpretation of literature, I do think that a book (or movie for that matter) exists as a sort of conversation between the author and reader, one that requires some contribution from the ostensibly "passive" reader.
fernando Jan 14th 2009 11:28AM
Yes, first entertainment bizz is porn... agreed... also the cheapest. Second is still TV. Third Nintendo, PS2, XBOX, Wii, and so on... and far, far away are the computer games and games like wow with that ridiculous 11,5 million. My future prediction is that virtual realities, wow tipysh or other, will take over at homes with some degree of cash. I think this virtual realities will be online, we will be able to build things in them and keep our own yard, there will be adventure, graphically stunning, probably cash free, more Google orientated than Blizzard. Probably something which concept I am not able to grasp just now. But I don't think no one form of Entertainment will take over.
Charlie Jan 15th 2009 9:59AM
I either agree, or 100% completley and utterly dissagree.
If he's talking in terms of cash money, then yeah, he's probobly right. Music and movies sales, and TV ratings have all dropped dramatically, while video game sales continue to rise. Video games have a much wider market than the above, mostly now due to the Wii.
Two things that hold the music/movies back versus video games
1) Illegal downloading. It does hurt sales, though how much is debatable. Video games don't have this problem, especially consoles games. The ratio of people who illegally download music to video games is astronomical.
2) and the most interesting thing. If a game is critically acclaimed, it is going to sell well. Best of E3, Game of the Year, 10/10s reviews. Those games will sell well. Period.
If you get #1 Album of the year by over 10 reviews (well recognized reviews), there will be alot of people who say its crap (See Fleet Foxes's self titled debut, all my guild mates can't stand it).
Its the same thing with TV/Movies. Critical Acclaim doesn't necessarily mean buisness success. But it does with videogames.
Phew long post...
Now if he is talking about eclipsing in the above in a more creative medium? Then he is a complete joke. Video games have a long way towards being seen as both commercially viable as well as artistically/creativley relavent. Music and Movies (and to a lesser extent TV), have this, and its not possible for music and movies to lose it.
The metal-gear solid series, and game companies like silicon nights are helping the cause, but its still a money first, money second buisness. Indie developers try to make good games. ITs really rare that art comes out of videogames.
Anything indie in movies/music is all about hte art (For the most part, you still are trying to make money, but you dont sacrifice the creative vision for it).
Anyways, that was long. He's prolly talkinga bout hte money though.