Game Over

Has gaming defeatedHollywood

Hollywood was once king of the entertainment jungle, but now the gaming industry is starting to blur the lines between the silver screen and the screens we play games on at home. Developers are creating games that offer more realistic gameplay and snatching up stars from the big screen for lucrative voiceover roles.

Games have become storytelling platforms in their own right. Instead of simply hammering your way through a level, you can now enjoy immersive cutscenes and follow a narrative. Here, we've looked at how the gaming industry is already matching up to Hollywood, as well as what could happen next.

Highest-grossing games vs highest-grossing movies

In the last decade, the gaming industry has been smashing Hollywood's earnings out of the park. Here's how the biggest games and movies compare, the first few days after launch.

Million USD ($)

Avengers Endgame

2019

Grand Theft Auto V

2013

Fallout 4

2015

Red Dead Redemption 2

2019

Avengers Infinity War

2018

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

2019

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

2018

Jurassic World

2019

Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker

2019

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

2011

Worldwide retail sales during the first three days after launch in USD ($)

Worldwide box office revenue of release weekend in USD ($)

Games have been competing for a few years now…

As well as earning similar amounts in their opening weekends, games have also been taking home close to, if not more, than the highest-grossing movies in the box office. Only the biggest blockbusters can match the top games.

$1.0 Billion

Call of Duty: WW2

$1.0 Billion

2017

Star Wars Episode VIII

$1.3 Billion

$2.4 Billion

Fortnite

$2.4 Billion

2018

Black Panther

$1.3 Billion

$1.8 Billion

Fortnite

$1.8 Billion

2019

Avengers Endgame

$2.8 Billion

Did you know?

The best selling adult video game of all time is Grand Theft Auto V, which has sold more than 110 million copies. By comparison, the best selling movie DVD, Finding Nemo, sold 47 million copies.

Hollywood actors that have voiced characters in games

This has opened up opportunities for actors…

Image of Officer Tenpenny from GTA San Andreas

Samuel L Jackson

Grand Theft Auto - San Andreas

Officer Tenpenny

Jackson is a true Hollywood star and gamers enjoyed his voice acting as the corrupt Officer Tenpenny in the San Andreas instalment of GTA.

Image of Lucy Stillman from Assassin's creed

Kristin Bell

Assassin's Creed series

Lucy Stillman

Lucy Stillman, the cute blonde Genetic Memory Researcher with a dark past was voiced by Kristen Bell who held the role for two games.

Liam Neeson

Fallout 3

James

Neeson's distinctive voice was applied to the father of the main character. You have direct conversations and interact with him throughout the game.

Mark Hamill

Batman Arkham series

The Joker

We all know Mark Hamill as the one-handed Jedi Luke Skywalker, but for many years he's also voiced Gotham's Clown Prince of Crime in the Batman Arkham game series.

Sean Bean

The Elder Scrolls IV - oblivion

Martin Septim

Sean Bean is a favourite for these medieval roles and was asked to lend his voice to the role of Martin Septim, the man who would become Emperor. And, in true Sean Bean style, it appears his character didn't make it out alive.

Image of Jeff 'Joker' Moreau from Mass Effect

Seth Green

Mass Effect series

Joker

When he isn't wolfing out in Buffy or fighting Dr Evil's mini-me, Seth Green was voicing the well-loved character of Joker in the Mass Effect series, cracking jokes and one-liners throughout while navigating the Normandy through space.

Net worth – Game voice actors

There are some voice actors in the gaming industry who you might never have heard of but are, nevertheless, revered and have racked up a serious amount of money. Here, we've taken a look at the net worth of the key players and what they're famous for.

Nolan North

Net worth: $4 million

you might have heard him in...

Uncharted series

Nathan drake

Assassin's Creed series

Desmond Miles

Batman Arkham Series

Penguin

Troy Baker

Net worth: $6 million

you might have heard him in...

Bioshock Infinite

Booker Dewitt

Batman - Arkham origins

The Joker

The last of us

Joel

Tara Strong

Net worth: $10 million

you might have heard her in...

Batman - Arkham City

Harley Quinn

Final Fantasy X and X-2

Rikku

Metal Gear Solid V - The Phantom Pain

Paz Ortega Andrade

Did you know?

Henry Cavill was reportedly paid around $3.2 million for his role in The Witcher series – based on The Witcher: Wild Hunt game and the original books. He earned a much smaller $300,000 for his role as Superman in the movie Man of Steel.

Motion capture has changed everything

In days past, actors would only lend their voices to video games but now we're witnessing their likeness translated into games via CGI and motion capture technology.

Game developers want characters to appear realistic, so real people acting out scenes is the main way of achieving this.

How do they do it?

To capture the likeness in appearance and movement, small markers are attached to the actor's face. They are then asked to perform their scene and every movement they make is translated into a piece of software and enhanced by digital designers.

Beyond: Two Souls motion capture

Call of Duty motion capture

Hollywood actors that have physically starred in games

Keanu Reeves

Cyberpunk 2077

Johnny Silverhand

What else have you seen Keanu in?

The list is endless – Bill & Ted, Point Break, John Wick, Constantine, The Matrix and Speed.

Kit Harington

Call of Duty - Infinite Warfare

Admiral Salen Kotch

What else have you seen Kit in?

Harington is, of course, best known for his role as the brooding Jon Snow but has also starred in the Spooks movie and Pompeii.

Ellen Page

Beyond - Two Souls

Jodie Holmes

What else have you seen Ellen in?

Ellen is known for a range of roles from Juno to Inception to the bold Hard Candy. She also stars in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy.

Norman Reedus

Death Stranding

San Porter Bridges

What else have you seen Norman in?

Norman is best known for his role as the moody Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead series but has also starred in Blade 2 and Boondock Saints.

Jon Bernthal

Ghost Recon Breakpoint

Colonel Cole D. Walker

What else have you seen Jon in?

Jon is another actor from The Walking Dead. He also stars in the Netflix series The Punisher and has been in movies such as Fury, Baby Driver and The Accountant.

Willem Dafoe

Beyond - Two Souls

Nathan Dawkins

What else have you seen Willem in?

Willem is a Hollywood legend starring in films such as Platoon, the original Spider-Man franchise and Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Jeff Goldblum

Call of Duty - Black Ops 3

Nero Blackstone

What else have you seen Jeff in?

Goldblum is of course best known for playing the suave scientist Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park as well as the lead in the 80s horror flick The Fly.

Kiefer Sutherland

Metal Gear Solid V - The Phantom Pain

Solid Snake

What else have you seen Kiefer in?

Many of us know Kiefer from his role as Jack Bauer in the series 24 but he is also a 90s star with the films Flatliners, The Lost Boys and Mirrors on his resume.

Ricky Gervais

Grand Theft Auto IV

Himself

What else have you seen Ricky in?

Ricky is best known for his role as David Brent in The Office but also for his work as a stand up comedian and roles in movies such as Stardust, Ghost Town and Night at the Museum. He plays himself in GTA IV, performing a comedy show.

Did you know?

The Assassins Creed franchise, which has always been heralded for its incredible movie-like graphics, is worth $311 million. Its supporting movie, featuring Michael Fassbender as the lead, earned $150 million worldwide.

What’s next in gaming – virtual reality

VR is making waves – for those who can afford the tech. Players can become the character or at least feel like they're immersed in the game with many requiring you to move and stand as if you were really in the environment. The virtual reality gaming market is forecast to surpass $22bn in 2020 and could grow to have a value of over $40bn by 2024!

Revenue in Billion USD ($)

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2024

It looks like the gaming industry is set to overtake the world of Hollywood in the near future. As more actors dip their toes in the world of voicing and offering their likeness to characters, we should see the worlds of Hollywood and games blend further.

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