Page 42 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #2

without company sponsors? How about thinks that there is any romance behind the retailers and put it into the hands of
football with plain helmets and un- the scenes of making and marketing the consumer. Legitimize the decision
adorned end zones? Or a soccer game video games, but I don't think that is to have an evening playing video
without rotating billboards? Once one their fault. It's the industry's responsibil- games as acceptable as going to a
logo enters a game, the obligation is ity to create that romance and exploit it. movie. Make superstars out of the pro-
there to license the product. I also think ducers and coders.
gamers like to see how specific pro CGM: What can the industry do to
teams play in simulations which include help create that much needed romance CGM: Maybe the industry needs to
them in the game. between the developers and the play- unite like the movie studios do?
ers?
CGM: Do you remember Atari's DT: Some of the Spielbergs in the
Homerun? <g> DT: It needs to reinvest a portion of its gaming industry need to have a vision
bloated marketing budgets into cam- of where the gaming industry can go
DT: Now that was a sports title I could paigns and projects that benefit the and form the organizations that help
master! <g> industry. Nintendo, for instance, build the industry, not just individual
spends virtually all of its marketing companies.
CGM: Switching back to the issue of bucks promoting Nintendo. What these
impact, what about the business as- companies forget is that share of mar- CGM: Would a gaming committee
pect? In the past few years, video ket is only a small part of the long term funded by video game companies dedi-
games have out-grossed Hollywood in formula. 80% share of a crummy mar- cated only to promoting the industry be
terms of box-office receipts for the first ket is a hollow victory, but 30% of a a first step?
time. There was even supposed to multi-billion dollar industry generates a
have been an awards show, like the lot of smiles. What Nintendo, Sony, DT: There are some smaller organiza-
Oscars, supported by the Science and Sega (et al) should do is grow up a little tions that do that now, but not effec-
Art Foundation (although I'm not sure if and start their own "Got Milk" agendas. tively in my opinion. The gaming indus-
the award show was any good or if it's Run ads promoting video gaming as a try is large enough that power cam-
still around). How many years will it be family activity in mainstream media. paigns should be afforded.
before our industry finally gets the glitz Sponsor awards ceremonies more ag-
and glamour it so deserves, and which gressively than what is going on now. CGM: What about media coverage?
category do you feel would be the big- Generate studies of what gamers like There doesn't seem to be any serious
gest award of the night: Best lead in a and distribute it freely in the industry. coverage of the video game industry.
video game or best lead programmer? Take a little power out of the hands of There are lots of magazines out there
<g>

DT: It's not a matter of when the in-
dustry "finally gets," it's a matter of
when the industry "finally creates." The
big TV and movie awards happen due
to the industry realizing they benefit
most by industry wide self-promotion. I
think some very serious entrepreneurs
need to form one or more organizations
that do nothing but help create stars,
foster news coverage, and host awards
events. When this happens, video
games and similar forms of entertain-
ment will become as popular as VHS
and Compact Discs. In the
meantime, video games may make a
lot of money, but the industry will still
not be regarded as "glitzy."

CGM: These stars you mention, are
these video game stars like Pac-Man
and Donkey Kong or are they program-
mers?

DT: The programmers, the producers,
the soundtrack artists, the animators,
the promoters, etc.

CGM: Why does mainstream media
ignore video games? Is it because
most members of the media may not
be informed, or even interested in
video games? It seems they’d rather
bash video games than celebrate them.

DT: I don't think mainstream media
Classic Gamer Magazine Winter 2000 42