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Sony: Gaming Can Help Fill Movie Theatres
Sony has unveiled plans to make upcoming PS3 title Uncharted 2: Among Thieves playable on US cinema screens equipped with its digital-projection technology, and hopes it can build the experiment “into a standard element in the movie-going experience”.
Uncharted 2 will be playable on four San Francisco, California, Illinois and Washington-based movie screens on October 5 and 6, reports Reuters. The cinemas will feature PS3s hooked up to Sony's 4K digital cinema technology, which is currently available in around 500 theatres across the States.
A May report from market research firm the NPD Group said that American game players now outnumber the country’s cinema-goers, and Sony believes that future game-theatre promotions of this nature could lead to new revenue streams for both industries.
"This is the first time we're doing it in a theatre. We think it's a start of something for us, and hope we can build this into a standard element in the movie-going experience," said Mike Fidler, senior vice president of Sony Electronics' Digital Cinema Solutions and Services Group.
"Our goal in converting theatres to digital is to go beyond the traditional movie-going experience and focus on helping exhibitors find ways to fill seats. Gaming will be an important part of that equation."
Uncharted 2 is due for release in mid-October. Developed by Naughty Dog, the PS3 exclusive title has been highly praised by critics, garnering a Metacritic rating of 97 based on 22 reviews.
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Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court 30 Monmouth Street Bath, UK BA1 2BW
England and Wales company registration number 2008885
Ive played games using a projector before in a friends living room. The screen was about 6' by 8', roughly.
Playing was really difficult as it was difficult to see the whole screen without moving your head and eventually resulted in us all getting headaches. We then switched off the game and watched Jessica Simpsons giant 6' x 8' rack (AKA Employee of the Month).
Morel of the story, 22" to 32" is the best size range of screen for gaming
On that note, I wonder how much research they've done into motion sickness? Watching someone frantically running, gunning and exploring on that scale would surely make Cloverfield appear positively static, lol!
Why is it, whenever anyone mentions Jessica Simpson, I picture Jessica Rabbit?....Is there something wrong with me, or what? ; )
I figured this would work by letting a few people play for a while at the start of the film, much like trailers. Would it really work having people show up just to play massive uncharted? I don't think I'd bother.
Just been playing MP Uncharted 2 demo. Although it's good fun, I doubt I would flock to a cinema to play it.
I think people are missing the point somewhat. You wouldn't be paying to watch someone else play, you'd pay to play. Obviously you wouldn't have he same people playing constantly, people would swap out round by round. You could even host tournaments like many pubs have done with Pro Evo.
Aha. So presumably they'd Uncharted 2's much-touted multiplayer mode rather than the singleplayer campaign...
Thats what I would assume. A friend of mine works for a cinema with a digital projector, and the staff have enjoyed Call of Duty 4 multi-player sessions on a fair few occasions. I can see it being a very workable model, if approached right.
The only way this could work is if attendees have the options to view someone play it on the big screen or play the game themselves in dedicated booths, where they could also hold private party sessions.
An example that springs to mind is the National Media Museum at Bradford. Where (I think you still can; I haven't been for a while) you can view DVD's of old TV shows in dedicated viewing booths.
If cinemas had a similar facility, coupled with the game being played in real-time on the big screen, it could work. But I think it a tall order to expect gamers to pay for tickets to go along to watch some smart-arsed whizz-kid showing off his Nathan Drake moves.
How would that work? Surely you'd usually have just one person playing, or at most a few playing splitscreen multiplayer? I can't see them filling many other seats with spectators, even for a visual spectacle like Uncharted.
Really? I'd totally go along to get a look at new games on a cinema screen. But a lot of people are probably too lazy/couldn't give a fuck.
True, it'd be a great way to see a bit of a new game in action. The public previews in cinemas at EIEF have shown you pack a room with people there to see a limited section. Anything longer than that, though, and I think I'd get too frustrated not having control myself...