Gaming has become a way of life for many people and much more commonplace than in the early years of gaming that I grew up in. As media becomes more and more interactive and immediate, the integration between gaming, movies, and any other form of media becomes that much more regular.
With multiple comic book movies scheduled over the coming years, the influence of comic books on the movie industry is very clear. We have seen movies based on comic book properties for years. From Spider-Man to Hellboy, comics influence both television and cinemas. One of the big arguments among fans is how close to the original property the movies should be. Do fans want to just see the same old story played out in live action or animation? Or, are slight variations acceptable, like changes to origin stories, eras, or minor changes to villains and continuity? What about major changes? Changes to characters race, religion, country of origin, power sets, sexual orientation, and gender can drive fans away or draw fans toward an existing property.
All of these questions can be applied to video games based on the same comic properties. Even harder to manage can be the video game properties that have influenced and inspired movies and television shows. Hitman, Need for Speed, Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and the Silent Hill and Resident Evil franchises have been catalysts for good and bad movies and TV shows. Some movies try to stick to at least the games premise, but sometimes, like with Mario, it is difficult to translate a property to the big screen. Many times a movie can succeed or fail regardless of the success or popularity of a video game that it is related to.
There are many other types of games related to comic and movie properties. The Simpsons have inspired multiple platform, arcade, and mobile games. Marvel characters such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Avengers have been the basis for a variety of arcade, mobile, tabletop and a variety of online slots games. While the games have evolved over more 35 years, the attempt to stay true to the characters while still adding something new to the overall experience is the constant challenge of any developer or company.
No matter the type of fan that you are, nor what you are a fan of, there is something out there that is bound to appeal to you. Whether you like games, movies, TV shows, or comics, or even if you just like t-shirts that have your favorite characters on them, the market is full of options. Find something you love to play, read, or watch, and tell others about it. That is the best way to draw in more fans and get more products made for your favorites.
