Video Game Franchises Have An Allegiance Film Franchises Can Only Dream Of

Listeners of the Awards Radar Podcast know that I enjoy video games. For me, playing a video game is an excellent way to turn my brain off. In fact, often when I’m working on multiple pieces for the site, I use a bit of gaming to break them up and reset between topics. I infrequently write about them, even as I always have ideas in the back of my mind. Today, however, something I’ve been toying with has finally brewed to the surface.

Two things this week had me thinking of games in relation to movies, which inspired this piece. One was the release of the latest Madden NFL game (Madden NFL 25, for those who aren’t aware) on Friday, about a month after the hotly anticipated return of the college football game EA Sports College Football. The other thing was, around the same time, the news breaking that the John Madden biopic, which is largely about the making of the Madden video game, would have Nicolas Cage in the role. The presence of David O. Russell as the filmmaker is a discussion for another day, but these games are popular enough to inspire a film, so that’s something.

So, what is the tie in that’s on my mind? It’s actually how they function as different art forms/forms of entertainment. Especially when it comes to fans, it’s notable. Games don’t tend to end franchises that are successful, in part because gamers keep coming back for more. Films, on the other hand, often end up running out of steam.

The Madden franchise is a perfect example. For years, the installments have been seen as just reskins, updating rosters and some slight visuals without offering anything really new. Yet, the sales are always through the roof. I’m one of those people, too, having never missed a new Madden in close to two decades. Call of Duty is another good example, as they hit every year, cycling through some styles, but mostly being the same game. Video games can do this, and do this often, but cinema just can’t pull that off.

Truly, no film series can match up. Any series of movies eventually hits a point where the box office success is no longer there. Remember how the Saw franchise was a yearly appointment around Halloween? Well, Saw VI was a financial disappointment, leading to the next sequel to be the last, at least for a bit. Hollywood has brought Saw back a few times, but there was a presumed end. That’s a cinematic thing, as opposed to the gaming world.

Here’s the thing. I don’t know that this loyalty is good. The games tend to stay the same because of it. Films, on the other hand, eventually need to evolve or they no longer appeal to audiences. Then, of course, there’s the return to basics, which we’re seeing right now with the Alien franchise and the route taken this weekend by Alien: Romulus. So, you can make the case that the movie industry benefits from this, while the AAA video game realm is in a weird place, lacking too many original properties and relying on what’s safe.

This is just my two cents on the matter. Feel free to chime in with your take, whether I’m on to something here or not. Listen, I love a good video game. I’ve long been a slave to buying new sports games every single year. I also see almost every film that comes out. Am I part of the problem? Maybe, but here’s the thing…it’s still fun. So, consider this all just some random musing before I get film festival brain. That’s soon to come, but in the meantime, I have some Madden to play…

Do you play any game franchises? Do you agree with my take? Let us know!