Games and Transmedia

The modern market is filled with debatable concepts and transmedia is one of them. There is plenty of discussion around the term, its distinguishing features, and use cases but the fact remains – it is difficult to launch a selling product without engaging transmedia.

When products enter the market, whether they are comic books, movies or games, it is quite difficult to understand the concepts and rules, especially if they are brand new. Transmedia aims to give clarifications, introduce users to the plot, and answer possible questions even before the launch.

Transmedia has become so popular that most of us are already taking it for granted. It expands the potential markets, adds depth to stories, and increases engagement. In this article, we will introduce you to the concept of transmedia, its most popular examples, and ponder on the future of cross-platform storytelling.

What is transmedia?

Transmedia is a type of storytelling that is told across several platforms using modern digital technologies. The concept was invented by Henry Jenkins as a response to the emergence of new sources of information. According to Jenkins, transmedia stands for across media and explains techniques that are used to cover the same story across different platforms and mediums. Here are some of the most successful examples of transmedia storytelling: DC Comics, Star Wars, the Matrix, Avatar, Disney, and Lost.

Why Pokémon got so popular?

Another transmedia example that should be discussed is Pokémon, one of the most profitable franchises of all time. It started as a game but with years has expanded to animated series, comic books, movies, and even trading cards. According to the revenue statistics, the characters introduced through transmedia are responsible for the biggest share of the total income. Nowadays, more and more researchers agree that perfect storytelling makes Pokémon one of the brightest transmedia examples.

Such success stands on several pillars: characters are easy to advertise and the card game is suitable for all ages. Cartoonish characters are simple and cards add competition to the process which is highly appealing. But the company made one step further and invested in guest appearances at Smash Bros., the Detective Pikachu movie, and the AR game from Niantic, The Pokemon Go. Fans grew into adults along with the characters which helped this brand to remain popular and profitable for many years.

Rival Peak transmedia strategies

Another example of successful transmedia is Rival Peak which runs on Facebook Games and is streamed live 24/7. It is an interactive story with Tamagotchi-like players that you can control. Plus, every Wednesday players can join a TV show hosted by Wil Wheaton, the Star Track and The Big Bang Theory actor.

Another advantage of the product is its elimination system which is based on participants’ decisions. This means that the plot is constantly changing and depends not on the developers but on the people. Rival Peak’s results are more than impressive. This brand-new transmedia format is based on the actions of users and each episode already has more than 10 million viewers.

But what does this mean for other products and the transmedia as a whole? First of all, such success shows that it is possible to attract an audience with different backgrounds and interests. Secondly, summaries of the previous episodes help users to engage, understand the context, and become active participants without feeling excluded from the community.

Storytelling across several platforms helps projects like Pokémon and Rival Peak build an empire, gain a competitive advantage, and leave lots of directions for future evolvement.

What to expect in the future?

The advantages of transmedia are clear, and we have already witnessed the great impact it had on such products as Pokémon, Marvel and Harry Potter. Moreover, it became a part of the casual things we see every day like cartoons, books, slots, sports events and so on. But modern companies take transmedia to a completely new level. They are working on platforms that would contain all elements of the story without a need to search for pieces of content across numerous websites.

Such platforms will increase retention, keep the audience in one place, and give lots of space for advertising. Follow our updates to learn more about transmedia and the benefits it may offer not only to developers and producers but also readers, viewers, and gamers.