It seems like celebrities will do just about anything to make an extra buck.
Celebrities have been making their own games and inserting themselves into video games for quite some time. It’s nothing new. There’s Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker on Sega Genisis, Katy Perry’s Sweet Treats for The Sims 4, and all of Tony Hawk’s games to name a few. But with mobile games increasing, it’s becoming the new bandwagon among those in Silicon Valley.
The most successful and famous of these is Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.
Kim Kardashian’s game was a huge hit, there’s no denying that. Almost every girl I know between the ages of 12 to 23 were playing Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. It originally released in June 2014, and was the hot topic for months. The game allows player to create their own persona and navigated them through Hollywood and eventually around the world. In order to get money and become famous, players must participate in photoshoots, commercials, and other celebrity-like activities while tapping on the screen to perform related actions.
In October of the same year, David Hasselhoff had his own game titled Hoff Zombie Beach. The player uses The Hoff’s gun to kill the zombies coming out of the water and prevent them from destroying sandcastles.
Since then, Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton , and Shaq are a few celebrities who are getting in on the cash cow. Even YouTube star PewDiePie has his own mobile game.
Katy Perry was said to have a five year deal with Glu Mobile Inc to have her own game. It will feature her likeness and voice, but other details like an official title have been kept secret since February of this year.
The latest celebrity is Britany Spears, who’s game will be developed by Glu Mobile Inc. The game is scheduled to be released in 2016. The five year agreement with the option for an extended three years allows for the company to use Spears’ likeness and voice, and will allow the singer to have some creative influence over the game.
Who can blame them? The mobile gaming industry is expected to rise by 51% this year and is predicted to become a $45 billion dollar market by 2018. Kardashian’s game alone grossed over $100 million and is expected to generate another $100 million.
The question is how long can these celebrity games last? Kim Kardashian: Hollywood is basically a remake of Glu Mobile’s other rags to riches game with prettier graphics and slapped with a celebrity likeness. While fans of the featured celebrity will most likely pick up the game, unless there’s a different storyline with different missions or even a different interface, casual players may not give it a second look. There has to be something new other than a famous face to give it novelty.
