In looking back on my last post (since looking back is what the Retro is all about) I said video games and movies can never be mixed. I really don't like the word “never.” It runs counter to my whole worldview. I’ve always felt the word “never” is just shorthand for “haven't yet figured out how to.”

Let me clarify my thinking by distinguishing between the experience and the industry. I do believe there is a fundamental disconnect in trying to mix an active experience (game playing) and a passive experience (movie watching), but I was hasty in saying games and movies can never merge. Within each of these industries are components upon which people not only focus but unabashedly lust after, and they mix rather nicely. These are the active components. It isn’t about mixing movie watching and games, but rather movie making and games. Although our avatar appears to take on the role of the actor in a movie, the roles of director and producer (the makers of the movie experience) are the ones that ultimately mix best with games, both overtly and covertly.

I say covertly because it occurs to me that players already are seamlessly integrating movie making and games. It happens in the meta-gaming world. Think of trick/stunt games or any game with a replay feature that you can save and replay for others. This is basically a short animated movie that the player is generating. And if they don't like a particular take they can re-shoot it until they get it just right. Then you post it or replay it for your friends (your audience) and all at once a video game has literally put you in the movie making business. Movie making is the interactive aspect of the movie industry and organically mixes well with games.

Some might also argue that The Sims is a mixture as you watch a scenario play out before your eyes, much like a movie, but it's one that you program. All real time strategy games have this style where orders are given and you watch the consequences play out.

Heavy Rain promises to be another float in this parade where the game reacts to you reacting to the game. Here you choose your character’s approach to situations and see a variety of differing consequents each trip through. The presentation is getting better each time and graphically games are approaching movies, but it does beg the question “What is the goal of mixing movies and games in the first place?”

Is it about mixing the pleasure of receiving a story with the thrill of creating one? Being “in” the game as opposed to just playing it? Flirting with the fantasy/reality boundary and crossing over whenever possible? Or is it more about creating marketing synergy by taking two large consumer entertainment media and leveraging both into the “huge” category? Is it that movies crave wow-factor tech and games are jealous of the Oscars? Many classic relationships are rooted in mutual envy.

It’s hard to say exactly where they’re going but they are undeniably on their way and no one is enjoying the journey more than I. So, for the record, upon further reflection…

You can tell the movie and game industries I'm recanting my “can't” position, but please don't tell my editor about the other stuff. I’d hate to interfere with an already perfect interactive experience.

By Howard Scott Warshaw: games™ Magazine