This Makes Me Cry

According to JoBlo.com:

 

Alright Millennials, it looks like you have won. With the announcement that Paramount will promote cell phone use in certain screenings of Terminator: Genisys, the sanctity of the movie theater is dead. With the streaming and  OnDemand markets infringing on box office revenue, studios are searching for whatever avenues they can to keep butts in seats. This latest ploy may push cinema fans away while bringing the social butterflies of the world out in droves.

The game will be playable via a closed WiFi network at IMAX screenings of Terminator: Genisys in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Boston. The current test will only happen at AMC theater locations. The game puts players into the role of Resistance fighters. They will be randomly placed into four teams and fight Terminators in gameplay set at three different settings in the film. The winning team at each showing will get a collectible Terminator: Genisys poster. The app and game are completely free. The current game model will play from July 1st through 3rd.

Audience Entertainment CMO Adam Cassels had this to say about the game.

“This is a true breakthrough for the movie industry. Video games are a multi-billion dollar industry, and merging that with the movies in a way that’s interactive, fun and truly memorable is a very exciting proposition for an industry seeking to innovate. This breakthrough may be equally exciting for the video game industry. The movies offer the very best in screen and sound while providing audiences with a first of its kind, collective, in-person gaming experience.”

While this is just a test run for the concept of tying a game directly into the screening of a film, I am sure this will become more and more common. It is important to note that while this game is not going to be played during the film itself, I am sure that is not far off in the minds of those developing these ideas. Movie theaters are designed to be a place to see a film on a big screen in silence and darkness. Like a stage play, bringing cell phones and other distractions pulls away from the immersive experience of the film rather than enhancing it.

You can find the original article here.