In a time when video game content lack for originality, depth, and emotion, and publishing house stick to the sequels, it comes as an innovative surprise (and about time) that a game publisher would bring in a Hollywood producer to give the industry something original and tasty. (See also Label Lab Newsletter, “E3—The Latest Trends, News, and Predictions about the Video Gaming Industry,” and “Into the Pixel-- An Exhibition of the Art of the Video Game.”)

Entertainment Arts, the world’s biggest video game producer, teamed up with Steven Spielberg to create 3 new games that of course will eventually go to film. This also brings the symbiosis of game to film and vice versa even closer. As we’ve reported at Label Networks, the two influence each other and should, as seen with Lara Croft movies (game gone to movie) and “Lord of the Rings” (movie gone to game), and others (i.e., Harry Potter). This month, the popular game “Doom” is being released in movie version by Universal Pictures, and “Halo” in ’07.

Under the deal with Spielberg, EA will own the intellectual property rights and will develop and distribute Spielberg’s games, and Spielberg gets first change at turning the games into TV or film productions.

As we reported last week regarding the rise of Machinima (see also “Machinima’s Impact on Entertainment Redefines Original Fall Programming”), the EA deal with Spielberg marks another step whereby video gaming or the concepts are infiltrating other aspects of entertainment and vice versa.