How do Movies and Video games compare?

Movies and Video Games, which is better?

I was hanging out with co-workers, and it comes up. Which is better? Video Games or Movies?

Both movies and video games are very broad topics with a lot of variety to compare. Both have very different aspects of entertainment. Movies are escapism where you watch a plot unfold and conclude, usually self-contained. Games are an interactive medium and can be easier to get hooked on. But can you compare them? Yes, they are direct competitors for your time and money. Let’s compare and score them, shall we?

When comparing movies vs. video games you can’t be objective. They directly compete for your time. If you spend more time on one over the other, that’s what you prefer. But people who enjoy both, usually sink more time into video games. Let’s look at why.

Time

As far as time goes, movies get the short end. While movies are usually less expensive to buy or rent, the entertainment time you get is a lot less. Most games are considered bad or short if you can complete them in 4 hours or less. People usually attribute game cost with the amount of content. Even buying a bad movie at a discount usually has a runtime of 120 minutes. So games win on quantity, what about quality?

We’re not talking about development time. Development hell is real and exists for both mediums. We’d be here all day if we compare how movies and games are developed. Though, movies have been around a lot longer and have streamlined the process. We more interested in the final product and how we consume it.

Quality

I usually measure how great an entertainment medium is by how long it entertains you when you’re not watching or playing it. Did the movie open up a discussion about something? That’s how it can entertain you during the off time. I’ve played games that have me talking about it during the off-time, that’s good design. I’ll admit I’ve talked about Terminator 2 and Star Wars more than I have any game. Though, the Elder Scrolls lore comes close.

Another good clue about the quality is the spin-off media it generates. How many books, graphic novels, comic books, fan-fiction, toys does the medium generate? While there is a considerable amount of books and figures when it comes to games, they’re usually in their own specialty section while movies take up whole rows in toy stores. I think it’s clear movies have this one.

Ease of access?

How easy are movies vs. games to get into? Well, that depends on the medium. They’re both based on technology, and it adapts and changes as time goes on. The generations of video players are a lot slower as they go for mass appeal. VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, Blu-ray, Online Streaming, they all had their spotlight. As for games, for the most part, they have quicker generations if you talk about consoles. PCs on the other hand don’t have generations and have long blurred segments of improvement. But when it comes to ease of access, movies have it easier. Buy a ticket, sit down, and turn off your brain. When it comes to arcade games, there’s a little more involved, you have to figure out the mechanics and use skill and endurance to overcome a challenge. But in this instance, ease of access does not make something better, just an entry-point.

But when talking about entry points, people usually refer to in-home entertainment. Movies are simpler and require less hardware. Usually, a Smart TV and Internet will do, or a player, internet, and TV and then purchase movies individually. Yes, Blu-ray players require an Internet connection to function correctly. Game consoles are similar. TV, Player, Internet, and purchase games individually. If we were comparing consoles and movies, I’d say they are tied. But if we include PC gaming, that’s where video games are superior.

Computers are a universal tool in the modern world, they can help you with finances, create a job, entertain and have a massive library of free entertainment. This isn’t even mentioning mobile games everyone has on their phone. When you go to the dentist and wait in the room, are you watching a movie or playing a game on your phone? Most of the time it’s a little game, quicker start time, and pause time. That’s a very strong point to games.