Video Games Round Out the Entertainment Package
Andy Marken April 19, 2024
0 Comments
By this, I take it you think everybody is who they say they are. - Evelyn Salt, Salt, Sony, 2010
Say the word entertainment and immediately you think of blockbuster movies in theaters or studios/streamers stuffing a continuing stream of great content into their libraries to ensure you don't drop them for someone else.
So why would the people in the hallowed halls of US government get all upset because Microsoft wanted to acquire a lowly video game company (Activision Blizzard) for the mindboggling sum of $68.7B?
Of course that didn't phase Disney who laid down their $1.5B bet with Epic Games that will enable them to share IP (intellectual property) and more.
Jeez, let's see:
The global box office hit $32B last year
The streaming video market is set to hit $108.5B this year
The video game market is set to hit $282.3B this year
Ten of the 2023 blockbusters of 2023 were based on video game IP (yes, and one on a doll)
You mean the stuff you played as a kid is actually more popular?
Well, we have a couple of friends who can't get enough movies/shows as long as they aren't bladder-bustin' three hours long.
However, taking on how a six-hour gaming session is a good warm-up.
No, we don't ask them if they take periodic breaks because some things are just personal.
The point is, the video gaming is big business.
Microsoft's game division and Activision each rack up huge dollars from folks who pit themselves against enemies of every shape/side and situation that push them to the limits.
Given a few hours or a days' rest and they're ready to enter the realm again. Put the gaming giants together and they make more than all of the US movie houses combined.
Industry Shuffle - With Microsoft's acquisition of Electronic arts, they moved to being a strong number two provider in the video game industry. The shift to mobile and streaming games will provide growth for everyone.
No, they're not as big as China's Tencent; but after lobbing off two thousand jobs, they make even more money.
And to prove that game IP (intellectual property) is good for things other than playing with, Disney dropped a cool $1.5B on Epic Games to ensure they could get an inside track on really cool movies and maybe just maybe beef up their gaming activities..
Yeah they know!
Folks don't just play a game once and move on to the next big hit, they come back for more and more and more.
The industry is dramatically different from the days when we worked with Tamriel's Atari. Back then, you sold a game system then sold box after box of pretty good games.
Cutting Back - Best Buy and nearly every entertainment software reseller have quit selling video game and movie packages as producers and consumers turn to online sales.
Today, 70 percent of the game sales are digital, which is probably why big box stores like Best Buy emptied their shelves.
And while they were at it, they dumped the movie DVDs because well, we stream our entertainment all of it.
Streaming is just too convenient!
But gaming is different from films/shows.
First of all, streaming video is a fairly passive activity. The most activity, excitement, anxiety you experience is popping fresh popcorn and searching from one service to another until you finally settle on something/anything to watch.
With games, it's the whole range of activity/experience, depending on whether you're playing single-person contests, MMOGs (massive multiplayer online games) or puzzles.
Good for You - There was a time when people said spending volumes of time in front of the screen playing video games would ruin you; but today, healthcare professionals are saying video game play may be beneficial.
Entertainment has to be good.
Our gamer friends critique their games on the plot, characters, content flow, weapon/tool selection, challenges/options and outcomes of some actions/decisions over others.
Or, as one dedicated gamer explained to us after wrapping up a gaming session:
Very moving story and emotional, depending on your decisions. And it's cool to actually interact with ST tech on a Federation starship.
Voice acting is stellar.
Graphics are fair and good enough.
Being your own director (making choices that impact the relationship with your fellows) is great although it doesn't really affect the storytelling.
Playing as two protagonists (2nd female officer and male engineer) really adds to the overall immersion
Overall, 7.5 / 10 and well worth playing IMO
Our gamers, our son and members of the healthcare community even say video games are good for you.
They're great for stress relief/escapism, productively fill spare time, are good for manual dexterity, brain exercise, problem solving, improves vision (especially peripheral vision) and gives you a sense of accomplishment or at least adds to your perseverance level.
And, if you're playing a multi-player game, it's a great way to socialize, gives a sense of community and mutual accomplishment.
That's better than becoming one with your couch for three plus hours or going from social media video to social media video watching people do dumb tricks or pimping some product/service or worse getting drug into some deep/dark/sinister rabbit hole.
There's certainly something convenient about being able to go to a gaming site, pick up the latest version of a game, pay for it/download it and play it forever.
O.K., technically you don't own the game you purchased - read the user's agreement in small, small type - because when they tell you they're going to quit supporting your version or de-list a game, you have no recourse.
Of course, there are winds of change even in the video game i
Most recent headlines
02/01/2026
Freezing Florida: NHL's EVP, Entertainment Bob Chesterman on Taking the Wint...
02/01/2026
NHL Winter Classic 2026: TNT Sports Prepares for First NHL Outdoor Game in Sunsh...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Any Given Day: Cork University Hospital premieres Wednesday 7 January on RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
RT will debut a powerful new six-part documentary se...
02/01/2026
Friday 2 January 2026
All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Announces 2026 Noel Schajris Scholarship The scholarship will cover tuition and housing for one Berklee College of Music stud...
01/01/2026
New year, new games, all with RTX 5080-powered cloud energy. GeForce NOW is kicking off 2026 by looking back at an unforgettable year of wins and wildly high fr...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
RT has unveiled an exclusive first look at the new Dancing with the Stars promo...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
Video Games Round Out the Entertainment Package 
