Listeners of the Awards Radar podcast know that I like video games. I find playing video games to be a great way to switch off my brain. In fact, when I’m working on multiple posts for the site, I often play a bit to loosen up and refocus between topics. I rarely write about them, although I always have ideas in the back of my mind. Today, however, something I’ve been toying with for a long time finally came to the surface.
Two things got me thinking about games in the context of movies this week, which inspired this piece. One was the release of the latest Madden NFL Game (Madden NFL 25for those who don’t know yet) on Friday, about a month after the highly anticipated return of college football play EA Sports FootballAt about the same time, the news came that the John Madden The biopic, which mainly deals with the creation of the video game Madden, would have Nicholas Cage in the role. The presence of David O. Russell As for the filmmakers, that’s a discussion for another time, but these games are popular enough to serve as inspiration for a movie, so that’s something.
So what’s the connection that’s been bouncing around in my head? It’s actually the way they function as different art forms/entertainment. Especially when it comes to fans, it’s remarkable. Games don’t tend to end successful franchises, in part because players keep coming back for more. Movies, on the other hand, often run out of steam.
The Madden franchise is a perfect example. For years, the games were seen as just redesigns, roster updates, and a few superficial visual changes without really offering anything new. Yet sales are still through the roof. I’m one of those people, as I haven’t missed a new Madden in nearly two decades. Call of Duty is another good example because they come out every year, change some styles, but are mostly the same game. Video games can do that and often do, but movies just can’t do that.
Truly, no film series can compete with that. Every film series eventually reaches a point where box office success is no longer there. Remember how the Seen Franchise was an annual event around Halloween? Well, Saw VI was a financial disappointment, which meant that the next sequel would be the last one, at least for a while. Hollywood has Seen back a few times, but there was a presumed ending. That’s a cinematic thing, as opposed to the gaming world.
That’s the point. I don’t know if this loyalty is a good thing. It means that games tend to stay the same. Films, on the other hand, have to evolve at some point, otherwise they no longer appeal to the audience. And then of course there is the return to the basics, which we are seeing with the Foreigner Franchise and the route that this weekend from Alien: Romulus. So you could argue that the film industry benefits from this, while the world of AAA video games is in a strange position, lacking too many original properties and relying on what is safe.
This is just my opinion on the subject. Feel free to voice your opinion whether I’m on to something here or not. Listen, I love a good video game. I’ve long been a slave to buying new sports games every year. Also, I watch almost every movie that comes out. Am I part of the problem? Maybe, but the thing is… it’s still fun. So consider all of this random musings before I get film festival brain. That’s coming soon, but in the meantime, I have some Madden to play…
Do you play any game series? Do you agree with my opinion? Let us know!
