It seems movie studios are now using eSports to promote their upcoming Hollywood movies.
MGM and Sony have announced today an event titled “The Magnificent Seven Online Gamer Showdown.” Basically what this is is a two-hour live CS:GO match between seven of CS:GO’s most popular Twitch streamers who will be split into two teams, Saviours vs Bandits. To keep in with the Western theme, the game will also take place on a unique Western-themed map.
The match is meant to promote the studios’ remake of the movie Magnificent Seven, starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt which will release on September 23rd of 2016. The streamers who will take place in the match are Summit1G, TimTheTatman, iiJERiiCHOii, HayliNic, JoshOG, Reynad27, and 2MGOverCSquared. In total, the streamers have more than 200 million views and 4 million followers.
The match will be streamed on Twitch from 4 PM to 6PM PST and will be hosted by GoldenBoy with John “Blu” Mullen as the commentator.
The match will also be livestreamed on www.Mag7Showdown.com and will feature clips from the movie as well as special messages from Chris Pratt and co-star Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.
Executive Vice President of Worldwide Digital Marketing for Sony Pictures, Elias Plishner commented:
“Twitch has never before brought so many respected and skilled gamers with such a huge following together for a single game. As these seven face off, this is an unparalleled opportunity to bring the action, intensity and fun of The Magnificent Seven to millions of fans worldwide.”
While it’s good to know that Hollywood recognizes the size of the eSports market, it is a bit worrying that they are basically using it as nothing more than a promotion scheme for their movie.
