Films & Games - When A Story Becomes A Brand! - 'Choose To Believe Anything, You End Up Standing For Nothing'

It's always nice to hear about someone doing well in the industry, whether it's a friend of mine or not. Not only does it help me to an extent but more chiefly, it gives you that extra mile of encouragement, belief and strength for others... Provided it's not one of those people who managed to get where they are of the back off someone else from the word 'Go!'

Tell you what though, doesn't it piss you off when people are completely incapable of 'moving the fuck, ON' being that you REALLY have to work to find something that isn't an adaptation or remake. I have made my feelings on this matter clear in an earlier blog but now it's happening in the other industry I love... Gaming!

I grew up with games, from their simplistic design in the 80's to where it is now... More and more story has become such a fundamental expectation in order to entertain its vastly growing community, in fact I don't like using the word community anymore, I'd say it's probably on par with the attention television fetches... And too bloody right, it's earned it's place.

Older generations, not ALL, but most don't touch games and in fact are only too quick to turn their noses up at it, the same kind (like my mum, funnily enough) that say they're senseless and mindless and a big waste of time... "Rrrrrriiight, but watching shitty daytime TV is better?"

Gaming gives so many of us the escapism we love, we have our favourite interactive stories where we control what happens on screen, we can enjoy stories that were too expensive for TV / Film production and in addition, explore new worlds & lands in our 'own' way that a documentary can't fulfil, we are also forced to learn to make quicker decisions and new ways of problem solving. As bonus, I have learned so many things from games like:

'Assassin's Creed' - about historical figures and locations


'Splinter Cell' - political and international systems
'Devil May Cry' - religious cultured artwork and references
'Metal Gear Solid' - facts from non-fictional warfare & governments from as early as 1945

All this is a benefit, of course - mainly though... They're fun!

Anyway, coming back to my point, gaming has become such a money-making machine now & just like a production company, by all means make a strong trilogy if your fans are that way inclined (make DAMN sure you get it right) but for the love of CHRIST - make your mark and then move on!

This is when the ball drops for me that a game has become a brand & story that just gets weaker and lazier all in the name of making-money!

I mentioned Microsoft's 'Lionshead Studios' recently, after I'd been through hell to take an interview with the creators of 'Fable' and there was only one question in my head almost the entire way. 'WOW, these guys have literally done NOTHING else for ten years!'


They have a brilliant game to their name but unfortunately, I think at the end of the day, they're just another one trick pony!
If you consider developers such as 'Rockstar Games' - notoriously famous for 'Grand Theft Auto' - just when they're on the periphery of the same opinion, they released 'Red Dead Redemption', believing in themselves and taking the success they've made from their work, they threw their efforts into an open world exploration into the Wild West arena. THAT'S what I'm talking about... and it's f*****g awesome fun!

Ubisoft has done the same thing, in fact more so with Farcry, (Splinter Cell, Assassin's Creed, two of which I also mentioned earlier), Prince Of Persia etc.
This is NOT "Oh, well that's because they've got more money" - NO, it's because they 'know' how gamers want to be pleased, they respond to the responses of their fans, therefore, making them more money as the gamer has more control - the people who are giving the gamers control are winning, those, which are not and too protective and not "listening" are losing - simple.
This is EXACTLY the same problem in TV right now, which hopefully is starting to fade away.
Kevin Spacey made an effort to urge broadcasters to give control to their viewers on this matter not too long ago, please watch, it's great:


It's the same as the bastards, working in the banks sometimes though, right? So long as they can get away with it, they'll do it... Sure the ship may be sinking but they'll cling onto the rails to make enough and jumping off just in time to save their own skin.

Gaming isn't safe because of a new arising problem though, which I think is quickly going to get worse because of certain greedy-money-grabbing-morons that are now cropping up here over something called 'DLC' - Downloadable Content!

For the last couple of years this has started to get a bit out of hand... Greedy, lazy & silly! A gamer will buy a game; good or bad with parts of the game locked away and can only be unlocked at a financial cost. By all means charge people for a full game but I hardheartedly disagree with where this is going.

In fact the biggest joke just occurred with my most beloved franchise, which goes just beyond this dreaded culture: 'Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes'
Unfortunately, Konami is one of those aforementioned One-Trick pony companies but given that I am such a big fan of the story and the character being such an inspiration in my life, I have been willing to forgive it UNTIL NOW!
Fan's have literally been fucked in the ass, uncertain why they were paying half the usual retail price for the latest installment, for which they didn't know was just going to be an epilogue hour playable demo for the next installment, which is yet to be released... WHY THE FUCK, DO THIS?
a) Why not just release it with the actual game later on, we'll be patient.
b) You've already changed the main voice actor from David Hayter to Keifer Sutherland without good enough reason(s).
c) For something I can complete in an hour by today's standard is ludicrous & unacceptable.
d) Hideo Kojima - Putting yourself in your own game franchise twice is fucking pretentious and stupid.
e) Why fuck your fans over and make them hate you after all the support and money they've made you?

The face of gaming is flourishing but any one of us, NOT looking to get shafted, here's my advice:

Visit the Angry Joe Show

He is the answer to a gaming consumer's prayers, whilst IGN and Gamespot are a hell of a lot less biased than they used to be, they still talk in that same monotonous voice of a reporter, they're way too abbreviated for you to base a cash decision on!

I have watched this show, not just out of enjoyment but I'd work with this guy for free any day of the week, given his level of understanding and respect for the gaming community. Not only does he bring passion but he brings the honesty, pointing out the exact details on what you're expecting as a gamer and does it meet this criteria?

To this day, I'm always of a similar opinion and I base my game purchase decisions off this guy alone. If only I'd found his video on the aforementioned 'MGS: Ground Zeroes' earlier, he'd have saved me £20.



Funnily enough, Angry Joe touches on another thing here, which pisses me off in the same way it does him. 'Movie Franchised Games.'
Nearly every last one destined to disappoint and be a wonder as to why do people bother making this shit but yep, you guessed it... "It's not about the game, it's about making money, predominantly from its fans"
- Movie based or not, it doesn't matter, if your game sucks balls, people will call you on it. Make some money but at the cost of being "branded" yourself - an asshole!

I implore you to notice the views that 'Angry Joe Show' gets in one of his Youtube videos, then compare it with the mainstream corporate 'IGN' or 'Gamespot' focus - YAH, I rest my case!

TV, Films, Games... Everything! 
When I write my stories, there's always the odd element thrown in about the world crying out for more honesty and the hope that one day the bullshit gets left behind.
Here's to hoping!