Game Makers Shy Away from Hollywood

The New York Times has a good piece today about the fickle relationship between Hollywood and game publishers.

It's informative, but the premise is a no-brainer: Big films don't always make big games, and that means publishers are backing away from high-priced licensing fees. The reason, as I've discussed before: great movies rarely make for great games.

It's interesting, though, that we're reaching a saturation point (or maybe even a tipping point) where game developers are beginning to see "potential" in certain movies. I'm not sure what that would be (as I'm just a lowly writer), but I assume it would the ability to parse out a nugget of the film that:

• Captures the spirit of the movie
• Puts players in control of the action, which is different than the movie
• Emphasizes game play over cinematic qualities

I know Henry Jenkins, from the MIT Comparative Media Department, has worked with game developers on story plots and structures, and that -- along with other endeavors -- have probably helped developers spot the kernel of an interactive storyline.