Ubisoft distributed a survey to select consumers asking whether they’d watch a Ghost Recon movie or what Assassin’s Creed movie plot would interest them most.
Surveys are great marketing tools. By asking consumers directly what they might like to consume, companies can target potential audiences with almost pinpoint precision. We’re in an age now though where enterprising consumers can take screencaps of said survey and post them online, getting the rumor mills turning on products that were mere speculation. The Prince of Persia movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal grossed more than $335 million and the big wigs at Ubisoft realized that it owns many marketable franchises. Based on the survey sent out this week, executives are considering pimping at least two of those IPs – Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon – to get Hollywood adaptations of them made.
According to a user at Evil Avatar, Ubisoft’s survey asked general questions regarding which actors or directors were favored before getting into the nitty-gritty of what plot would get you into the theaters to see a Ghost Recon film. Would you rather see the movie bridge the gap between games or introduce new characters and stories?
The same line of questioning was pursued for a possible Assassin’s Creed movie. Would you like to learn more about Ezio or Subject 16, or watch a movie that introduced a new assassin character?
On the one hand, I understand that movies can be great for videogame publishers to bring their brands and intellectual properties to potentially new audiences. I haven’t seen the numbers, but it makes sense that game sales for a franchise get a bump whenever a movie tie-in is released. And while videogame movies are outgrowing the awfulness of Uwe Boll, it is by far a sure thing that a film based on a game will be good or make any money. Ubisoft might be better served concentrating on making decent games than wondering which of its IPs would make the best movie.
Having said all that, I’m totally going to watch the World of Warcraft movie on the first night its out.
Source: Evil Avatar
Published: Mar 16, 2011 09:11 pm