Video Games for Theatre
As theatre marketers, we at The Pekoe Group are always thinking of ways to expand the experience of theatre or to capitalize further on a theatrical production.
So, last night on the subway while I was playing Yoo Ninja on my phone, I looked up and saw a kid wearing an Angry Birds t-Shirt and it struck me – Are there any theatre video games?
Off to Google I went. And guess what? The merging worlds of theatre and video gaming are completely undeveloped.
Why is that? Relationships between video games and cartoons are very common. Video games and movies/television have also had a very dynamic relationship; Games inspire films (Resident Evil, Max Payne, Mortal Kombat, and even The Super Mario Bros.), and films inspire the creation of games (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and of course the Star Wars Universe). And recently video games and the music industry have sparked a fruitful relationship with faves like Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and Rock Band. Also,The Ringling Brothers Circus even has a video game!
So, why are there no theatre video games? As far as I can see, there is no reason.
Time to start development.
Here are a few starting ideas:
Broadway Tycoon – Play producer and build the perfect Broadway show. Choose themes and settings and try to sell tickets.
Super Usher – Seat latecomers, stop the use of digital recording, and silence candy wrappers before the crowd of old ladies get annoyed.
Broadway Smash Down– Broadway characters battle one another using their special powers. Who would not want to see Spiderman, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Annie duke it out for domination of the great white way?
I hope to see these at a game store near me or as an app. for my smart phone, because we all know that Theatre is the best game in town…