Bilson: Cross-media releases make games "more exciting"

Following confirmation that Kaos shooter Homefront is to get a prequel novel early next year, THQ's Danny Bilson has claimed bolstering games with content in other areas of the media makes them more appealing.

The tactic is one being heavily exploited by THQ, which is to announce a major movie tie-in to a new installment to one of its existing IPs later this year, Gamasutra reports.

The new game has yet to be announced.

“This one game next year that will have the movie will also have a Facebook game, an Xbox Live game, licensed apparel, action figures and things like that,” said Bilson.

“It makes [the property] more a world of the game instead of just the game. That makes the game itself more exciting.”

Bilson added that games publisher marketing spend on titles is making it "easier" to attract movie companies and book publishers to interactive properties.

“What [these companies] are afraid of is risk,” he said.

“They know we’re shipping a game with a certain amount of marketing and suddenly it’s branded ‘entertainment.’ … So having a game makes the property more appealing, not less appealing. It’s easier to get a movie or TV show going. It’s easier to get a book going.”

Homefront releases next March for PS3, 360 and PC.