Could The Original Content ‘Bubble’ Burst This Year?

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There’s a growing demand for original content from networks, particularly streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. While these offerings are winning awards and otherwise being praised, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf still believes that the “content bubble”could burst through overabundance.

Landgraf spoken on the subject before, coining the term “peak TV” as he discussed how there is “simply too much television” when it comes to viewing original programming.

Following a report that 209 scripted series aired in 2015, Landgraf corrected that number to 412 (via AdWeek). “Counting television series is like counting lemmings,” Landgraf said. “Hopefully they won’t all run off a cliff and plunge to their deaths in the ocean.”

That count will continue to rise in 2016, coming closer to that “peak TV” figure he discussed, which could lead to a drop-off soon after. “I think there’s a reasonable prospect there will be fewer in ’17 than there are in ’16. We’ll get to 450 shows, and then there will be a contraction down to 350 or something like that,” Landgraf expects. “There’s still going to be a lot of TV for the foreseeable future.”

While these programs offer plenty of unique content for viewers to tune in to, Landgraf believes that “from a business standpoint and increasingly from a consumer standpoint, it’s harder to launch shows. I think it’s harder for consumers to see good shows. There’s too much of everything in many ways. There’s not enough human attention to go around.” With that, “the U.S. television ecosystem is in a period of dynamic and rapid change.”

Landgraf believes that content could be surrounded by the economic bubble, and considering that original programming is crucial to marketers when it comes to getting the attention of audience, that’s a big thing to consider. “There’s something a little wonky, and if you really dug under the economics of every business making scripted television shows and every show itself, they wouldn’t all be profitable. There are more shows being made than can be sustained economically.”

Even though Netflix has seen a benefit in rising stock from its cavalcade of original shows, Landgraf noted that it “doesn’t make any significant profit” and that “something has got to give eventually in that regard.” (He also noted how the company went from producing no shows three years ago to 100 different shows this year.)

However, just because there’s a “bubble” quickly filling up doesn’t mean it’s about to burst, as some feel that it’s actually an advantage putting various pieces of content on the market. Nate Hayden, vice president of originals and branded content for AOL, recently posted a guest blog on The Wrap discussing its future potential. “Yes, there is a lot of video out there right now, muddying the waters, but out of that mud grow beautiful flowers — some of the best content we’ve ever seen. At the same time, it is inevitable that this content bubble will burst,” he explained.

He then broke down some ways for creators to “stay afloat” during this time, noting that risk plays a big factor when it comes to putting something new together. “These programs push real boundaries and tell the stories of the marginalized, under-represented groups. They breach tough topics and revel in ruffling feathers. Amazon’s Transparent pushes the envelope and has earned a dedicated viewer base and critical acclaim not just because of its timeliness and storytelling, but also for its fearless tackling of previously-untouched issues surrounding gender identity and society’s collective (mis)understandings of the transgendered community,” he said.

On the broadcast TV side, The CW’s underdog Jane the Virgin survived the muddy waters because it wasn’t afraid to bring a Spanish-speaking family of flawed women to prime time and tackle political issues like immigration reform. Audiences have reacted to this risk-taking very positively. If you want to survive a burst of the content bubble, consider the risks when it comes to whose stories you are telling, and how you are choosing to tell them.”

Digital programming also provides the opportunity “to take risks in how we distribute that content. It’s become obvious that digital has destroyed the concept of “primetime” or even set schedules in general. It means the consumer gets to choose when, where and how they interact with the content. It also means that we have to adapt, analyze and predict these patterns, and use that understanding to get creative with our windowing and scheduling strategies.” Certainly food for thought for not only creators, but how marketers put together campaigns to give this content the proper exposure it deserves.

Hayden concluded, “With so many options, it is astounding that we keep repeating ourselves. No one can watch all 400 of the scripted shows produced in 2015, but that doesn’t mean they were a waste and that we can’t learn from them. Quality will always win over quantity, but we also should celebrate the advances that we have made in scripted during this boom while being ready for the reckoning that looms. The bubble will inevitably burst, but in its aftermath the survivors will be those with the strongest content that will push us to evolve even further.”

Adding some fuel to the conversation, News Corp. co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch recently spoke with Variety on the subject, expressing, “It is a golden age, and there is a huge amount of choice,” he said. ”I think that as long as it is fragmented in straight delivery, where you have thousands of channels, whether it is linear broadcasting or over the top, whether it is Netflix or Hulu, or obviously on cable television, there is going to remain a demand for high-quality content. So I wouldn’t personally characterize that as a bubble at all. Consumers are demanding choice and that is going to continue for as long as we can see.”

For now, consumers are enjoying the variety of shows. It’s certainly a high point for original programming, even with “bubble” lining.

The Sundance Film Festival Showcases the Fantastic Future of Virtual Reality

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It’s no secret that both Hollywood and independent film artists are fast embracing virtual reality technology, evidenced by movie tie-ins like The Mockingjay Experience, along with other brands looking for creative ways to us VR. Publications like The New York Times has taken advantage of the emerging technology by creating a set of documentary VR films, and it looks like the future is looking bright. June pre-orders for the Oculus Rift headset quickly sold out, despite the relatively high price point, while 5 million Google Cardboard units have shipped since June 2014.

However, the potential of virtual reality was probably showcased best at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, which is featuring 30 virtual reality exhibits. Among some of the most impressive being an experience based on the best-selling Leviathan trilogy, written by Scott Westerfeld. In this sci-fi experience, which pairs both virtual and augmented reality, users are invited to put on Oculus Rift headsets and step onto the Leviathan gondola, part of a gigantic genetically fabricated flying sperm whale, as it makes its way from London to Moscow. There’s no better way to understand the impossible than to be part of it.

Although it’s hard to top a giant flying whale, that hasn’t stopped others from experimenting with new experiences. Lucasfilm showed off the Holo-Cinema at Sundance, which lets fans step into the Star Wars universe to explore Jakku and check out a three-dimensional C3PO and BB-8. Eventually, this technology will allow users to have an Star Wars themed augmented reality experience from the comfort of their own homes.

John Gaeta, executive creative director of new media at the lab, said (via The Wall Street Journal) that the developing technology could be used to build “portals” that explore whole worlds or subplots of the Star Wars universe only hinted at in film. Gaeta also adds that he expects augmented-reality to become prevalent in three to five years and mainstream for all sizes of movies in five to ten years. Furthermore, the team isn’t is beholden to the Star Warsfranchise, and is developing experiences for other filmmakers.

Other New Frontiers exhibits at Sundance explore diverse topics that include the exploration of empathy and covering police violence. However, they all suggest that the immersive nature of virtual and augmented reality allow brands to engage with audiences at a deeper level. With a recent report from Goldman Sachs stating that virtual reality market could reach $80 billion by 2025, there’s a lot to be excited about.

To further take advantage of the momentum the technology is gathering, Samsung announced at the Sundance Film Festival that it will soon open its own virtual reality movie studio in New York City. Although little is known about the studio’s goals, it will no doubt be dedicated to creating experiences that help promote the Gear VR headset that launched last fall. Oculus VR, which partnered with Samsung to develop the Gear VR, announced a subsidiary named Oculus Story Studio at least year’s Sundance Film Festival, with the goal of creating more VR movies.

Those who can’t attend the Festival this year can still experience 13 of its VR films through theSundance Film Festival VR app using Google Cardboard or Gear VR. The app, in and of itself, is a testament to the potential reach of virtual reality and how brands can use it to engage with users on a new level.

The Up And Coming ESports Games of 2016

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ESports is seeing a period of incredible growth, thanks to immensely popular games likeLeague of Legends, DOTA 2, and Counter-Strike. As the industry grows, so does the selection of games ready to step up and played as professional level competition.

Here up and coming games of 2016 that could expand eSports in new and unexpected ways.

Overwatch

Blizzard has practically become synonymous with eSports, given how StarCraft essentially started the industry back in the 90s. The company went on to make eSports history again when Heroes of the Storm became the first game to be televised as an eSport on ESPN 2. Even Hearthstone, Blizzard’s first effort at a collectible card game, became a popular eSport that brought mobile games onto the scene.

So, there’s a great deal of anticipation surrounding this year’s release of Overwatch, a competitive shooter that involves superpowered heroes and villains going head-to-head. The game’s cartoon aesthetic may help it stand out among existing eSports shooters, while its wide selection of characters and fast-paced gameplay make it ideal for competition.

Overwatch is currently in the closed beta phase, but fans got a taste of the game at last year’s Blizzcon, and the spectacular trailers have left them clamoring for more.

Battleborn

There was a lot of hope that last year’s Evolve would become an eSports hit for publisher 2K, considering how much fun the game is to watch, but the game never managed to grow into that potential. However, that means more opportunity for Battleborn to become an eSports hit this year.

Developed by Gearbox Software, famous for the Borderlands series, Battleborn is a team based shooter where players can select from a variety of characters, each with special abilities, to battle against one another. Its unique characters and plot is expected to draw in a large fan base, and that popularity could transform the game into an eSport.

Madden and FIFA

The debate over whether eSports are actually sports are bound to grow more confusing once the Madden and FIFA franchises enter the scene. Last fall, EA announced that it would form its own eSport league, similar to Activision Blizzard’s efforts. Among the first games up for the eSports treatment will be the best-selling Battlefield series, and the immensely popularMadden and FIFA sports games.

Eventually, ESPN.com’s traditional sports and eSports pages could grow to look strangely similar.

Paragon

When Epic Games, creators of Unreal Tournament, announces development of a high action MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game, then it’s time to sit up and take notice. InParagon, players choose from a variety of heroes with powers that can be enhanced using cards that are earned while playing.

Epic first revealed details about Paragon during the PlayStation Experience last December, accompanied by some stellar trailers that demonstrate the gorgeous power of the Unreal 4 Engine. If any game has the potential to reach Unreal levels of fame and popularity, Paragonwould be it.

Paladins: Champions of the Realm

Developed by Hi-Rez Studios, creators of the already successful eSport, Smite, Paladins could be some heavy competition to Paragon. The game, which is still in beta, involves teams of diverse characters with special abilities that are enhanced using collectible cards. Whether or not the game will grow as an eSport will largely depend on how popular the game is, and how well it balances between accessibility and challenge.

LawBreakers

A little name dropping goes a long way when promoting LawBreakers, the debut game from legendary game designer Cliff Bleszinski (Cliffy B), who designed games like Gears of Warwhen working at Epic Games. His new video game company, Boss Key Productions, is hard at work on developing the mind-blowing, free-to-play sci-fi competitive shooter, LawBreakers, which will be published by Nexon.

Although little is known about the game outside some plot points, and how there’s gravity manipulation abilities, it’s already (by virtue of its pedigree) a game to keep an eye on.

Ark: Survival Evolved

Although the independently developed Ark: Survival Evolved is still in Early Access development, it already has high aspirations. Normally, no one would consider a sci-fi themed survival game, even one with tamable dinosaurs in it, a viable eSport. However, its developers want to change that perception by turning Ark into an eSport. In it, players will have to survive against the elements, hunger, wild creatures (including dinosaurs), special events like acid rain, in addition to each other.

It’s a tall order, but one that could change the way people think about survival games and eSports if successful.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2

Although EA will no doubt put Battlefield and its sports games at the forefront of its eSports efforts, there is always a chance things could take a turn for the weird. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is a competitive shooter based in a zany world where mobile and heavily armed plants compete against the technologically sophisticated forces of the undead.

Given the popularity of the Plants vs. Zombies brand, promotion from EA’s developing eSports division could turn the upcoming sequel into a highly competitive eSport that will entertain both players and viewers with its humor and challenging gameplay.

Superdata: Digital Game Sales Significantly Grew In 2015

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While some gamers still prefer having physical game discs, but many have warmed up to digital purchases over the past year, according to the latest SuperData Research numbers, based on the top grossing digital games of 2015.

The report indicates that worldwide market for digital game purchases has increased eight percent over the previous year, reaching a total of $61 billion across PCs and consoles. “Following a stellar holiday season for the games industry, total sales reached a record high in 2015. Sales of digital console games showed the biggest jump and were up 34 percent, despite being one of the smaller categories at $4 billion annually. The largest category in terms of dollar sales was mobile, earning $25.8 billion and up double digits (10 percent) from the year before. Sales figures points toward a shift in the industry as more consumers have adopted digitally distributed games and free-to-play,” said SuperData CEO Joost van Dreunen. That said, the report did note that social games and subscription-based gaming saw a minor drop of just under one percent each.

Riot Games’ eSports-friendly League of Legends had no problem becoming the world’s highest-grossing digital game, making $1.6 billion over the year. Following close behind were the mobile hit Clash of Clans ($1.3 billion), the action-packed CrossFire ($1.1 billion) and Dungeon Fighter Online ($1.05 billion). The last two games thrive based upon markets in South Korea and China, despite not getting that much attention in the West.

As for the top publishers for 2015, Activision ruled the roost with $2.9 billion last year, led by the hit Call of Duty games. Supercell took an easy second place position with $1.64 billion, while mobile giant Tencent followed with $1.62 billion.

“Activision controlled six of the 30 top spots across platforms, including the titles that came under its ownership following the acquisition of King Digital late last year. Supercell takes the number two position overall with $1.6B in earnings across its titles in the top 10. And China’s titan Tencent follows as a close third, based on its dominance in the PC market with its wildly successful League of Legends, earning $1.6B, or roughly 7x more than its closest competitor,Dota 2 (Valve), which earned $238M in 2015. Despite claiming five of the top spots on console, Electronic Arts lacks a strong position in digital PC and mobile, earning it gross revenues of $798M,” said Van Dreunen.

The PC market actually thrived over mobile game releases for the year, as “the combined earnings of digital PC games for the top titles came in higher, totaling $6.3B in sales compared to $6.18B for mobile,” Van Dreunen pointed out. Overall, various PC games led to a grand total of earnings at $32 billion, just under the $25.1 billion generated through mobile games. “Three of the year’s top five digital PC games (Grand Theft Auto V, Fallout 4 and The Witcher 3) were released in 2015, indicating that PC gamers have made significant progress transitioning to purchasing games digitally.”

The top ten highest grossing games for console, PC and mobile for 2015 are:

CONSOLE

  1. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Activision, $355
  2. FIFA 15, Electronic Arts, $332
  3. Grand Theft Auto V, Take-Two Interactive, $322
  4. Destiny, Activision, $291
  5. Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Activision, $224
  6. FIFA 16, Electronic Arts, $212
  7. Fallout 4, Bethesda Softworks, $108
  8. Star Wars Battlefront, Electronic Arts, $106
  9. Madden NFL 16, Electronic Arts, $76
  10. Madden NFL 15, Electronic Arts, $73

PC

  1. League of Legends, Tencent/Riot Games, $1,628
  2. CrossFire, SmileGate, $1,110
  3. Dungeon Fighter Online, Neople, $1,052
  4. World of Warcraft, Activision, $814
  5. World of Tanks, Wargaming $446
  6. Lineage I, NCSOFT Corporation, $339
  7. Maplestory, Nexon, $253
  8. DOTA 2, Valve Corporation, $238
  9. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Valve Corporation, $221
  10. Grand Theft Auto V, Take-Two Interactive, $205

MOBILE

  1. Clash of Clans, Supercell, $1,345
  2. Game of War: Fire Age, Machine Zone, $799
  3. Puzzle & Dragons, Gungho Online Ent. Inc, $729
  4. Candy Crush Saga, King Digital, $682
  5. Monster Strike, Mixi, $674
  6. Candy Crush Soda Saga, King Digital, $518
  7. Fantasy Westward Journey, NetEase, $451
  8. Colopl Rune Story, COLOPL NI Inc, $356
  9. Disney Tsum Tsum, LINE Corp, $326
  10. Boom Beach, Supercell, $297

Buy Buttons Are On The Rise, But Who Wants Them?

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The buy button – a convenient way to make purchases for items that look appealing to consumers, or gain access to certain goods without needing to visit a retail site. Marketers are looking for more ways to offer this buy button for people to use – but is it really as popular as it appears?

VentureBeat recently reported the findings of a study conducted by Campaigner, indicating that 36 percent of those polled see some form of increase in sales by utilizing buy button integration. While only 22 percent found a way to use them (in one form or another) last year, 60 percent stated that they were willing to find a way to utilize it in effective formats.

Those formats, based on the article, are highly used on a daily basis. “Email and Facebook were the first platforms to embrace buy buttons because they are the most content-based,” said E.J. McGowan, general manager for Campaigner. “Twitter is great for engaging with contacts, but it is difficult to showcase product offerings with a character limit.

“We believe buy buttons are still on the rise, and just because marketers are prioritizing certain platforms doesn’t mean they won’t leverage others down the line. We’re intrigued to see plans develop for Pinterest implementation and predict that (its) platform could be a huge opportunity for marketers in 2016.”

Email continues to be a strong point when it comes to marketing priorities for brands. Website optimization and personalization are also being considered, though not as highly. “Website optimization and personalization are definitely important components of a successful email marketing strategy, so we’re pleased to see that marketers are prioritizing them this year,” McGowan said. “However, not focusing on hyper-personalization could be a significant missed opportunity. Creating a highly personalized contact-brand relationship is becoming increasingly important, especially in the age of email overload.”

There are still difficulties ahead, though. “Hyper-personalization, like any personalization, is difficult,” McGowan said. “First, it’s challenging to ensure you have clean data across multiple fields (i.e. gender, purchase history, income, etc.). Then it’s really a two-step process: First you must gather and maintain the data, and then the email creator must be able to leverage that data in creative ways that will create a highly personalized message for the individual contacts.”

That said, returns can be plentiful if done the right way. “The ultimate results are worth the effort,” McGowan said. “Marketers should be careful not to overlook the value of hyper-personalization, beyond the standard ‘Hi, first name’ personalization tactics. Reinforced hyper-personalization efforts could truly make a positive impact.”

Meanwhile, GlobalWebIndex conducted its own findings on the popularity of buy buttons, with interesting results. The survey indicated that only a handful of consumers are finding them useful, with the lowest count from Facebook, around nine percent. Tumblr managed to double that in the top spot at 17 percent – but still quite low.

Chart 012616

As a result of these buy buttons, however, some retailers believe there is expected change by channel from them, with eCommerce sites rated the highest at 85 percent. Meanwhile, catalog/call center based revenue is the lowest, with 42 percent polled indicating there would be no change.

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Marketers Are Seeing ROI On Real-Time Marketing

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Companies are seeing the return on investment for real-time marketing, employing it to primarily form customer relationships, promote events and as a complement to their existing content. A report from eMarketer explains how some companies are using real-time marketing. Companies have begun allocating more of their marketing budgets to as a result, citing numerous benefits.

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Here are a few examples of certain companies that use real-time marketing to their advantage:

Sega. The company’s star mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog, has gained quite a popular following on Twitter. Not only has he given “speedy” responses to fans, but he’s also interacted with companies. One recent tweet, featured below, has him chatting with the official Denny’s Twitter account, where it replies, “the pancakes, they gotta go fast.” Of course, video games featuring the zippy hero are also commonly mentioned on the account, but the ability to “play” along with other accounts is something fans can’t get enough of.

taco bell date 01 2014Taco Bell. While the fast food chain has made it clear that Taco Bell is an ideal place to go for a late night snack, it’s also expanded its social reach through connections with fans. One of the first brands to go all-in on Snapchat, the fast food company continues to find an audience of“crazy engaged” fans there.

Waffle House. The popular late night dining chain has made a splash for itself on Twitter as of late, interacting with fans and finding connections with popular events. For instance, with last night’s NFC Championship victory against the Cardinals, the Carolina Panthers found an unlikely connection with the chain – and it was quick to take note, as pointed out below.

DiGiorno Pizza. This delectable dish has made a name for itself on Twitter, first with tweets that tied in with the WWE account and its wrestling programming, and lately with more “let’s talk great about our product” tweets that really hit it off with fans.

Domino’s Pizza. This pizza chain also hit it off with fans on Twitter, with nearly a million followers in tow. However, along with making clever jokes in relation to new products it’s introduced, it’s also very topical, with several posts recently discussing the blizzard that blanketed the East Coast – and the pizza delivery masters that will stop at nothing to do their job. These kind of stories have been very supportive amongst fans, and earned the company a few new followers in the process.

Chart 2 012516

A recent study conducted by Econsultancy indicated that only about 17 percent respond in real time to voices of customers thoroughly, while 49 percent only do so partially. Meanwhile, 34 percent don’t follow the practice at all. Could there be a change in the future? Judging by the popularity of certain accounts on the social media front, it’s certainly worth a try.

At least, that’s what Sonic would probably say. Especially after pancakes.

Newzoo: ESports Revenue to Reach $463 Million in 2016

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With more companies and sponsors investing in eSports than ever, it’s less a question of whether or not we’ll see the industry is set grow to greater heights in 2016, but how far. Newzoo sheds some light on the matter with a recently published a report that indicates how much it’s expected to expand.

Titled the 2016 Global eSports Market Report, it explains just how much the worldwide eSports market is set to achieve, up from the $325 million that was earned from competitions worldwide last year. This year, the number will pick up quite a bit, going up to $463 million – an estimated year-over-year growth of 43 percent.

The report is quite lengthy (80 pages), but here are some of the minor takeaways that are worth noting:

U.S. leads the way in eSports numbers

“In 2016, North America will strengthen its lead in terms of revenues with an anticipated $175 million generated through merchandise, event tickets, sponsorships, online advertising and media rights,” said eSports analyst Pieter van den Heuvel for Newzoo. “A significant part of these revenues flows back to the game publisher, but across all publishers, more money is invested into the eSports economy than is directly recouped by their eSports activities.

“China and Korea together will represent 23% of global eSports revenues, totaling $106 million in 2016. Audience-wise, the situation is different, with Asia contributing 44% of global eSports Enthusiasts. Growth in this region is, for a large part, fuelled by an explosive uptake in Southeast Asia”.

Peter Warman, CEO for Newzoo, also added, “2016 will be pivotal for eSports. The initial buzz will settle down and the way forward on several key factors, such as regulations, content rights and involvement of traditional media, will become clearer. The collapse of MLG was a reminder that this market still has a long road to maturity and we need to be realistic about the opportunities it provides. In that respect, it is in nobody’s interest that current market estimates differ so strongly. Luckily, when zooming in on the highest market estimates of more than $700 million, the difference is explainable by an in-depth look. This estimate only differs in the revenues generated in Asia  (Korea in particular), and by taking betting revenues into account. At Newzoo, we believe betting on eSports should not be mixed into direct eSports revenues as the money does not flow into the eSports economy. Similarly, sports betting is not reported in sports market reports.”

Newzoo Esports Report 2016 Revenue Growth V3

Many eSports events got lots of attention

112 major eSports events took place last year, generating $20.6 million ticket revenues. As for prize money that was given out, it estimates at $61 million – a 70 percent increase from the previous year.

eSports audience has expanded

226 million gamers tuned in to events last year, and devoted eSports enthusiasts rose to 115 million, a growth of 27.7 percent over the previous year.

131 million eSports enthusiasts, along with 125 million curious occasional viewers, are expected to tune in to everything from the Call of Duty World League to Valve’s annual DOTA 2 International.

Newzoo Esports Report 2016 Audience Growth V3

Global revenues are booming

The total amount of global revenue for eSports reached $325 million in 2015, with North America accounting for the most with $121 million. That’s a 67.4 percent growth over 2014’s numbers.

Advertising has reached a new peak online

Online advertising has managed to see the fastest increase in revenue, up 99.6 percent from the previous year.

Annual revenue for eSports enthusiasts is picking up

The average annual revenue for eSports enthusiast spending has reached $2.83 for 2015, and will grow even more to $3.53 this year. That’s lower than most traditional sports (basketball estimates $15 per fan per year), but keep in mind that they’ve been around longer than eSports.

Newzoo Esports Report 2016 Revenues per Enthusiast

There are plenty of big spenders

Despite the miniscule spending cost for eSports enthusiasts, they’re a loyal following, with a valuable demographic for each particular tournament. These fans are noted as having full time jobs with reasonable income, and indicate they’re willing to spend on digital media subscriptions, hardware and mobile content that relates to their favorite eSports activities.

How Video Games Are Going Hollywood

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The video game is growing ever closer with Hollywood, evidenced by how Tribeca Games featured League of Legends last fall, and how Activision Blizzard started its own movie studio. Much like how comic book movies are making it big, the success of these upcoming video-game themed films, all expected to release this year, could hint to an era of renewed popularity and fandom for these video game brands.

Angry Birds

The video game phenomenon is headed to the big screen, and even though these birds don’t say a lot in the game, they have plenty of personality in the film. In order to help further promote the movie, a giant balloon in the likeness of the main character “Red” was seen in last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Furthermore, Angry Birds movie characters will be featured in a Lego Dimensions toy/game expansion pack later this year. Starring Jason Sudeikis, along with actors like Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph, Angry Birds is set to take flight on May 20th.

Ratchet & Clank

The first Ratchet & Clank game hit the scene in 2002, so it seems like it’s long past due time for a movie. The animated film, which details how the duo first met and got together, was originally supposed to release last year, but was delayed to 2016. It turned out to be OK, because it gave Insomniac Studios more time to work on its new movie-inspired Ratchet & Clank game, which completely retells events from the original game and will launch alongside the movie. We can expect some big promotional tie-ins as we draw closer to the April 29th release.

John Wick 2

John Wick, the 2014 movie starring Keenu Reeves, features a skilled hitman who comes out of retirement to single-handedly take on the mob after his dog is killed. Since the movie’s release, John Wick has appeared in the heist-themed video game Payday 2 (developed by Starbreeze) as a special add-on character. The sequel went into production last year, and Starbreeze was tapped to develop a virtual reality game that will bridge events between the two movies together, making John Wick a movie, character, video game, and experience all at the same time.

john wick 2 69585

Warcraft

Warcraft is perhaps one of the most recognizable titles in recent history, given the incredible success of the massively-multiplayer online role-playing game, World of Warcraft. It features a deep and rich story, featuring an ongoing battle between Orcs and Humans set in a fantasy world called Azeroth. So, it almost seems absurd that there hasn’t been a Warcraft movie much sooner. The movie, which hits theaters June 10th, shows how the war began. Although it isn’t being developed by the recently formed Activision Blizzard Studios, its success acts as a critical step as the video game publisher gets into the movie business.

Assassin’s Creed

Apart from starring Michael Fassbender, and the fact that it’s based on a hit game franchise, not a lot is known about the upcoming Assassin’s Creed movie. The game takes place in a world where individuals can revisit the lives of ancestors through genetic memory, and focuses specifically on a secret war between the Assassins and Templar, who are both after powerful technological artifacts.

Fassbender plays a character named Callum Lynch and his 15th-century ancestor Aguilar — both original characters created for the movie. However, it wouldn’t be out of the question for publisher Ubisoft to find a way to way to add Aguilar to its long-running game series through digital films. Ubisoft is no stranger to the Hollywood, after working closely with James Cameron to make an Avatar video game and creating three short films collectively called Assassin’s Creed: Lineage. More recently, Ubisoft worked with Amazon to make Tom Clancy’s The Division: Agent Origins, a digital film based on the upcoming game, and has partnered with SpectreVision to make virtual reality content.

Recent games include Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, which received a Jack the Ripper campaign expansion in December, and the platforming game Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India released last week.

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Are Millennials Losing Ground To Gen Z?

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While millennials may have been the key focus for several marketing campaigns from companies and other research reports, it appears that the group may have reached its peak in terms of general interest.

Recent searches through Google Trends indicates that searches and article creation that revolve around the term “millennials” may have reached its peak, while, at the same time, similar searches for the term “Gen Z” is continuing to climb.

Using Google Trends, we saw that the term “millennials” has grown over the past decade, reaching a high in September of 2015, and has since begun a slow downward trend. Does this point to an oversaturation in millennial-themed content, or a slowing of interest? It’s unclear.

Screen Shot 2016 01 22 at 4.22.43 PM

However, when compared to Gen Z numbers, there’s some more interesting numbers at play, indicating a sharp rise starting in 2006, and eventually jumping up and down until reaching a new high point in 2015. It looks like Gen Z is gaining real traction.

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When comparing the two together, though, millennials appear to have a continuous lead, even though Gen Z is slowly catching up, and the prior group may have reached a peak. However, taking a closer look at regional interest, Gen Z has already surpassed in a number of areas.

While this seems a bit technical in terms of explanation, the numbers indicate that, while millennials have been a hot topic for marketers and the general public, Gen Z’s audience numbers are picking up – and that could mean 2016 may be the year where the focus shifts to the younger demographic.

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Ubisoft and SpectreVision Team Up For Virtual Reality Content

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Virtual reality is set to take a big hold this year, with the PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive ready to make their market debuts over the next few months. With that, the publishers at Ubisoft are looking to expand its reach into the virtual market, not only with recently announced games like its upcoming Eagle Flight on PlayStation VR, but also with original content.

Ubisoft has announced today that it has partnered with SpectreVision to create, develop and produce original and interactive virtual reality programming, just in time to kick off the Sundance Film Festival.

The development studio, founded by actor Elijah Wood and partners Daniel Noah and Josh C. Waller, has already shown off its creative vision with notable film releases last year, includingA Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and the zombie comedy Cooties. No doubt that kind of visceral content will easily translate to virtual reality.

“We’re thrilled to partner with an industry leader like Ubisoft to explore the innovative and burgeoning technology that is virtual reality,” says SpectreVision’s CEO Lisa Whalen.  “The diversity of Ubisoft’s portfolio of titles from Assassin’s Creed to Zombi, makes for an ideal partnership with SpectreVision’s varied creative vision, as evidenced in (its previous films). Together, we can tell an infinite number of unique stories in a bold and original new format.”

Wood also chimed in on the partnership. “As a longtime gamer, I’m first and foremost a fan and admirer of Ubisoft,” he said.  “So to be collaborating with them within the realm of VR is an incredible treat!”

“We’re thrilled to be working with the team at SpectreVision on an interactive VR experience,” said Patrick Plourde, Vice President at Ubisoft Montreal. “Their expertise in the horror film genre is exciting for us as a developer of interactive entertainment and we’re looking forward to a collaboration that will ultimately offer fans an unforgettable virtual reality experience.”

SpectreVision will work closely with Ubisoft’s FunHouse Studio in Montreal on the content, although no projects have been revealed as of yet.

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The partnership is an ideal one, as it provides yet another venue for Ubisoft to continue its push into both mainstream media and virtual reality. We could very well see some Assassin’s Creed oriented content that ties in with the company’s film adaptation (pictured above), which features Michael Fassbender and is set to arrive sometime this holiday season.

We’ll see what the future holds for these partners over the next few months. An interactive version of Cooties would certainly be…interesting, to say the least.