If you hadn’t noticed before Hollywood became paranoid about the potential for the likes of YouTube to overtake their dominance of the entertainment industry in the future, causing the SOPA fight, film and television were surpassed by porn and then the online gaming industries both in size and profit.
We’ve written a lot about porn but not as much about the impact of gaming on the male mind.
The most significant game in history, Star Wars: The Old Republic, was just released.
It may be the largest entertainment production in history. More than 800 people on four continents have spent six years and nearly $200 million creating it. The story runs 1,600 hours, with hundreds of additional hours still being written. Nearly 1,000 actors have recorded dialogue for 4,000 characters in three languages.
The narrative is so huge that writers created a 1,000-page “bible” to keep the details straight, and the director recently asked a colleague not to spoil moments he hadn’t yet seen.
It’s not a movie or a TV series. It’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, the most expensive, ambitious and riskiest video game ever produced.
Created out of a 60,000-square-foot converted warehouse next to a cooking school on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, the Old Republic is proof that while box-office, network TV ratings and music sales are slumping, games are holding their own, thanks to steady growth from online games. Revenue from games played online last year topped $7 billion, up from $6.5 billion in 2010, according to Parks & Assoc.
—“Star Wars: The Old Republic — the story behind a galactic gamble”
The idea is to captivate the minds of millions of young men, and women, across the country compelling them to pay $60 upfront and $15 per month to play.
So the question on my mind is whether the new game is good? Meaning is the game as good as its publisher claims? And if it is what is the impact of the move from the old paradigm of entertainment to one dominated by interactive fantasy gaming?
That initial comment of mine was meant as a reply… whoops
*was NOT meant*
jeez….
time for bed I think
Yes The Old Republic is that good.
Skyrim is off the chain as well.
And thankfully since they came out pretty late last year and I’m a slow gamer they will probably keep me happy until at least the summer (and by then I will have bought Kings of Amalur, which is looking to be a pretty good title hitting early next month).
I must say I’m becoming increasing suspicious of the way so much time and energy is being put into gaming enterprises that encourage sedentary activity – especially amongst young males. Yes, the market follows the money. Shame. I now greatly regret the amount of time and energy I spent in my youth mastering utterly useless skills in whatever video game had taken my fancy at the time. I can’t imagine ever wanting children of my own to own a console or to collect a library of computer games (and something like WOW consumes vast amounts of time, and it’s merely… Read more »
I must say I’m becoming increasing suspicious of the way so much time and energy is being put into gaming enterprises that encourage sedentary activity – especially amongst young males. Yes, the market follows the money. Shame. I can agree with that. But for me its all about moderation. With a full time job, running a blog on the side, and contributing to other blogs, I just don’t have that many gaming hours like I used to. Last year I bought four games (Pokemon Black/White, Skyrim, and Star Wars: The Old Republic). I’m barely halfway through the pokemon games, I… Read more »
I read a book a while ago about some research done on how video games can change the minds of young people for the better. I think it was called the kids are alright. It was a good read.
Yes. Skyrim and SWTOR are great! Interactive, expansive, these games are appealing to broad demographics (at the cost of them they have to be). You can play Skyrim as a pasifist if you want! Seriously, whats not to like about sandbox games that let anyone explore a variety of roles, it has to improve open mindedness at the very least.
It looks pretty sick! I’m still trying to find the time to work my way through another award winning masterpiece: Elder Scrolls ‘Skyrim’ (http://www.elderscrolls.com/skyrim/) which grossed $450,000,000 in the first week of sales while receiving massively positive critical review. From the perspective of advertising the release of new game titles rivals dollars spent on any Hollywood blockbuster already. Has for a few years. Obviously technology has always been groundbreaking with video games. Practically every year since the original Nintendo came out a new bar has been set in terms of what’s possible. What’s really starting to change now is the… Read more »