Respawn to Rock: Video Games Meet Rockstars

Kay TurnerAug 31, 2017

The best thing about video games is the scope to take players on a journey to anywhere they can conceivably imagine. From the depths of the ocean to the heights of outer space, video games allow players to test the limits of their imagination. But this doesn’t always have to involve aliens, zombies, or death-defying stunts. This can often involve more tangible things – such as real-life rockers cropping up in video games. A recent trend shows that by incorporating real-life celebrities, especially those fitting in with the rebellious nature of gaming, such as rock stars, video games can inject a new lust for life in their offerings.

One such example is the Motorhead-themed content available for download alongside the Victor Vran game. The Wired Productions and Haemimont Games development features the late Motorhead frontman Lemmy on a quest to rescue the band’s mascot from the Queen of the Damned. The game is tagged by former guitarist Phil Campbell as a way to “kick ass to a kick-ass soundtrack.” Indeed, the game is expected to feature the player as Lemmy as he navigates his way through the world with the Motorhead back catalogue acting as the game’s soundtrack. The idea is a lucrative strategy to marry up fans of gaming, who will be enamoured by the action-packed gameplay, with fans of Motorhead, who will venture into the world of gaming to connect with one of their favourite bands.

But incorporating rock stars into video games isn’t anything new. Granted, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and even Singstar, have brought rockers onto our consoles over the last decade. But, the Victor Vran Motorhead collaboration shows a new way to interact with often overlooked celebrities. Indeed, Kim Kardashian has an app game, which players can live a lifestyle endorsed by Kim as an additional way to keep up with her and her family. So, it’s only reasonable that rock stars can have a chance at appearing in their own games – just this time, these are games that reflect the stars and reflect what the fans of the stars will want to be playing.

The Revolution X arcade game of 1994 featured Aerosmith battling against a New World Order who wanted to destroy entertainment. Players could act as Steven Tyler in the first-person shooter that first brought together the world of gaming with the world of rock. David Bowie made a cameo as his own likeness in Omikron: The Nomad Soul, which featured the player playing a character playing another character. Bowie not only played one of the characters in the game, but he also helped compose the soundtrack for the title. The game allowed players to see Bowie, and also hear his unmistakable musical talent on the soundtrack – offering a completely encompassing experience of gameplay merged with rock star.