Analyzing Hollywood movies is an interesting way to study pop culture. After all, few industries are likely to lean on the latest trends, stories, and breaking headlines in the world of popular media than film studios. The more relevant their next blockbuster, the more people are likely to line up—just look at the smash success of the recently released Barbie.
But within the context of gaming, Hollywood hasn’t quite hit the mark. Despite the fact that gaming has become the latest cornerstone of the entertainment industry, there’s a notable lack of films, TV shows, and even documentaries that zero in on the rise of competitive eSports, Twitch streaming, or even niches like iGaming.
Let’s take a closer look at the best depictions of competitive gaming from the big screen, including what could be coming over the next few decades.
Building on the Casino Hype
Saying that Hollywood has failed to capture the art of gaming might be a misnomer. After all, the casino has been an important part of Hollywood’s action-adventure and even psychological landscape. Look at hits like Ocean’s 11, Casino, Rounders, The Hangover, and Croupier. Each highly acclaimed film takes a fresh and unique perspective on the world of casinos.
However, this might also change. Today, players are more likely to focus on virtual platforms versus heading to brick-and-mortar casinos. In terms of finding casino bonuses and sampling new games, virtual casinos offer unprecedented convenience and accessibility. Still, Hollywood hasn’t yet tackled the world of virtual gaming—which could signal the real issue here. Simply put, studios are struggling to write plots that cover digital gaming platforms, from casinos to MOBAs and FPSs.
The Struggle to Explore Digital Worlds
Here’s the rub: modern video games revolve around digital worlds (or even metaverses), which are difficult to explore for studios that focus on live action. In fact, the only big-name forays between digital and physical worlds are the 2021 Space Jam reboot, Space Jam: A New Legacy.
The plot revolves around LeBron James (who plays a fictional version of himself) heading into a virtual world of Looney Tunes to help rescue his son, who was kidnapped by an AI program. Sounds a little confusing, right? Unsurprisingly, the reboot was a box office flop and James later took home a nomination for worst actor from the Golden Raspberry Awards.
Flipping Games into Films
James’ Space Jam may have flopped, but the film at least represents one of the most meaningful explorations of both physical and digital worlds. This is exceedingly rare. Back in the 1980s and 90s, films that performed well might see video game releases; the opposite is true now, with top video games earning TV show and film spinoffs.
Still, despite the popularity of flipping games into films, the track record for these projects is abysmal. The vast majority of projects are poorly rated by both fans and critics. Aside from a handful of standouts, there are few successes in the realm of film—though it’s worth pointing out that some TV shows have fared better.
But what about content that focuses on the world of gaming instead of turning popular storylines into full-length film manuscripts? Is there a future for this type of storytelling?
Waiting on a Critical Lens
One of the best parallels to draw in terms of gaming’s struggles in Hollywood is traditional sports. Though leagues like the NFL and Premier League are hugely popular worldwide, fictional takes on these real-life leagues tend to flop on par with the Space Jam reboot. In other words, the realm of competitive sports is riveting enough—why bother with fictional plots?
That being said, this could be changing. Over the last few years, a few fresh projects have challenged the idea that video game films can’t be heady, fun, and insightful. There’s 2023’s Tetris, 2021’s Free Guy and 8-Bit Christmas. Each film has a solid thumbs up from both audiences and critics, hinting that we’re now entering into Hollywood’s gaming era.
