Quantic Dream is known for making games that push the boundaries in terms of storytelling, but studio head David Cage wants to do more than just provide innovation, he wants to send a message to the rest of the entertainment industry.
Speaking with VG247, Cage explained that the involvement of acting talent like Ellen Page in Beyond: Two Souls has elevated the potential for games to new heights. “The game is going to send a strong signal to the game industry, but also to Hollywood because of Ellen [Page’s] involvement and the fact that she was so great during shooting,” he said.
If the game is successful, and if her performance is seen as something that proved the quality of the experience, it’s going to be a signal to the industry that says ‘look, it’s possible to do games this way.’
But it will also be a signal for Hollywood to say, ‘this is now a respectable medium. If you are a talented actor, there are games that give you the opportunity to show what you can do, and to treat your emotions in the same way that films do.
Cage is convinced that a large portion of the entertainment industry still believes that video games are all about guns and blowing stuff up. He hopes to change that way of thinking with Beyond and encourage more acting talent to get involved in this business.
In Hollywood, many people still think that games are about shooting, so most actors have no interest in them. They don’t want to just be a face on an avatar who is shooting people. So there is still some interest in Hollywood for games, but they are still really cautious. Beyond will send them interesting signals.
Will Quantic Dream’s upcoming title be the game that changes the public’s perceptions? We’ll just have to wait until 2013 to find out.
