The video game market has always been a diverse one. Even since the days of the NES, there have been multiple varying genres and even sub-genres of games. And while gaming trends do adapt and change just as regularly as other markets, there are some genres and types of games that stick around long after their use-by date.
Licensed video games, particularly those based directly on movies, were one such gaming trend that stuck around for a long, long time. Many gamers will remember walking into their local game store on a Saturday afternoon as a child, a few coins burning a hole in their pocket, looking for that next video game fix, and being met with shelves upon shelves of Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, James Bond, and Star Wars games. There was no better feeling, but now the future is uncertain.
The Glory Days Of Movie Tie-Ins
While movie tie-in games have been around since the early days of home consoles, with Raiders of the Lost Ark releasing on Atari 2600 in 1982, they really hit their commercial stride with the sixth generation of video game consoles. The PlayStation 2 and original Xbox, in particular, played a large role in the popularity of movie tie-in games. And while many titles were branded as mediocre shovel-ware games designed as a simple cash-grab, there were a few licensed games that really stood out in the video game market, with some even coming close to first-party experiences.
One of the most popular movie tie-ins was Spider-Man 2, releasing concurrently with the Sam Raimi movie of the same year. At the time, this game received a good deal of critical acclaim, with many outlets expressing their surprise that a movie tie-in game was capable of being so ambitious, and succeeding, for the most part. The game still has countless fans today who often still praise the game's web-swinging mechanics, its combat, and its rogues gallery. Spider-Man 2 stood out amongst the crowd by actually delivering upon the promise of bringing the movie it was imitating to life, capturing that indescribable feeling of "being Spider-Man."
Of course, everyone has their own favorite movie tie-in game from their childhood, whether that's one of the surprisingly open action/adventure Harry Potter titles, or one of the many excellent Star Wars games of the time. While the general popularity of these games largely came from the recognizability of the characters and license, the best tie-ins also did a great job at easing new players into the world of gaming.
The majority of tie-in games knew that their market was predominantly kids, and the best ones embraced this and took it upon themselves to use their game as a tutorial for the wider video game genre. For instance, Peter Jackson's King Kong may have been someone's first first-person shooter, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers may have been a child's first introduction to the hack-and-slash genre. The best movie tie-in games gradually teach the young player genre-specific mechanics that they can then use for the rest of their lives, and do so in a low-stakes, calm environment.
But the movie tie-in market wasn't all hits, and the eventual oversaturation of the market, with multiple tie-ins appearing for every new Cars movie and obscure action title, led to the commercial downfall of the movie tie-in game. Fortunately, all hope isn't lost just yet.
Where Are You Tie-Ins, Why Can't I Find You?
After movie tie-in games started to become less financially lucrative, studios started to pack their proverbial bags. So despite a few Disney games every few years or so, the movie tie-in market dried up, and licensed properties had to look elsewhere for interactive integration. Enter Fortnite.
Fortnite is the biggest game in the world right now, and for good reason. Whilst many dismiss it as merely a free-to-play multiplayer game for kids, it's actually one of the most intuitive, rewarding, and accessible video games on the market right now, which is exactly why it's remained one of the most popular video games of the last four years. Licensed properties, and movie tie-ins specifically, are also attributed to Fortnite's vast success.
During Fortnite's first Season, a John Wick skin was added, letting players dress up as a cartoony Keanu Reeves. This opened the floodgate for licensed characters, and the game was soon full with skins from across the popular zeitgeist. Thanos, Rick Sanchez, Wolverine, Master Chief, Chun-Li, Batman, practically any popular character of the last four years has made their way over to Fortnite at one point or another, often appearing as part of a movie's promotional campaign, like the new Spider-Man skin being released to coincide with No Way Home.
With all of its licensed characters, Fortnite now offers that same level of recognizability that was once only available through movie tie-in games. And with Fortnite being free on every current console and mobile device, the game is more accessible than any sixth generation movie tie-in. Fortnite also goes one step further than just adding recognizable characters, and often features large-scale crossover events (like its Galactus finale) that incorporate various iconic characters, creating moments that can be talked about on the playground the following day.
Fortnite is also being constantly updated on a very regular basis, which keeps it from getting stale for many long-time players. The updates, its free-to-play nature, and the sheer accessibility of the game all combine to make it perhaps the best movie tie-in game of all time, but it might not be that way forever.
While Fortnite could currently be the king of the long-defunct movie tie-in genre, there is room for the genre to spread its wings once more. The new Matrix Awakens game gives a slight glimpse at the possibility of future licensed games, and while upcoming releases like Star Wars: Eclipse and Indiana Jones show how old IPs are being reimagined, it may also open the door for more direct movie tie-ins going forward.
Fortnite is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.