Never before has the convergence of characters, stories and content across multiple media platforms been more prevalent than right now. In fact, the blurring of lines between mediums is reshaping the interactive entertainment, film and streaming video industries, and paving the way for new audiences to discover and connect with beloved stories and characters no matter where they were first envisioned.
Last week at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Variety hosted its popular Entertainment Summit, where industry executives gathered to discuss how new technologies and innovation are steering the future of film, TV, digital media, gaming, music and more.
Joining the exclusive, one-day event, held at the Aria Resort & Casino, was Amazon Games’ own Laura Sturr, GM of Operations. As a featured speaker on the panel The Cross Platform Storytelling and Engagement Universe, Sturr weighed in on where the entertainment industry is headed as it continues to grow content across media into podcasts, games, online tie-ins, and experiential events, among an expanding choice of channels. Other panelists included Johanna Faries/Call of Duty; Steve Ackerman/Sony Music Entertainment; Thai Randolph/Kevin Hart’s HartBeat; and Soumya Sriraman/QVC.
Laura talked specifically about how the idea of transmedia entertainment has been around for a long time, but it’s typically just been a dream without the economics to support it. She said now with more access to content than ever before and the power of fandom on social media allowing consumers to connect, we’re on the forefront of what’s truly possible.
Amazon Games recently entered an agreement with Crystal Dynamics to deliver a new, multi-platform Tomb Raider game. When asked about it during the panel, Laura said “The power of the entertainment division at Amazon allows us to tell stories across mediums, so in the case of Tomb Raider, you could imagine a world where the IP lives across multiple platforms. The flywheel at Amazon allows us to work side by side with those other businesses and elevate a beloved IP to the next level.”
All in all, industry leaders agreed that the future holds a wealth of exciting possibilities as brands continue to reimagine and push the boundaries of innovation, new content and experiences for audiences to enjoy.
