SNK, the company that makes the Fatal Fury video game series, was almost entirely bought out in 2022 by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. CR7 playing in the Saudi championship, This partnership is political. But this collaboration between Cristiano Ronaldo and SNK studio raises another question. Are collaborations between stars and studios really beneficial for the latter?
To begin with, These marketing stunts allow games to capture a much wider audience. Take Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077, for example. The Hollywood actor’s appearance caused the game to explode in attention from the first trailers. Same thing with Travis Scott in Fortnite, where 12 million players logged in simultaneously to watch his concert in 2020.
If at first, Partnerships can cause a short-term spike in sales, the increase can be misleading. If the game doesn’t deliver on its promises in terms of quality or content, celebrity can’t save the day in the long run. Cyberpunk is a perfect example of this. After a disastrous launch due to technical bugs and broken promises, the presence of Keanu Reeves wasn’t enough to maintain the game’s reputation.
The essence of the game must be respected
Today, we see more and more games that integrate stars, sometimes without any real link to the universe or the gameplay. When it becomes purely cosmetic, players can end up getting tired of it. For example, Call of Duty has integrated celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Nicki Minaj, without anyone understanding the meaning.
However, Collaborations can also be extremely beneficial when well thought out. Norman Reedus in Death Stranding, directed by Hideo Kojima, is a great example. The actor is not just a “calling figure”. His acting and his immersion in the character of Sam Porter Bridges really enrich the story of the game. Here, the star serves as a lever for the narrative and not just for promotion. We could also think of collaborations with musicians like Hans Zimmer, who composed the music for games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Jules Thiebaut’s column Listen later
Lecture listen 4 min
