Atari"s marketing VP Steve Allison talks about Hollywood"s increasing influence in games--and how it"s bound to change everything we know about the industry.
It"s a 20-minute drive from Atari marketing vice president Steve Allison"s Santa Monica, CA, office to Hollywood. That"s no coincidence. His position demands he be at the forefront of Atari"s marketing campaign--so it"s only natural that his location places him near the heart of the film industry, which is playing an ever greater part in the game world.
GameSpot: You"ve been on the Hollywood beat for Atari for some time now. Have you seen any change in the way A-list movie talent views games and the game industry over the past couple of years?
Steve Allison: We have seen an evolution, for certain, in how talent agencies like CAA, ICM, and William Morris view our business as another creative platform for their clients. They now have people dedicated to interactive gaming projects. This was not the case even two years ago.