The role of fans in building content for the future
It was a burning summer afternoon. I recall the day distinctly as boarding the flight felt as though walking in to a freezer from an oven. Luckily, the flight was delayed, and I’d just about made it to the aircraft as the doors were closing. I could’ve well made it in time with some good planning, but nope, I allowed the calendar to slip all morning, struggling to keep with the schedule. Making my way down the aisle, and just as I thought I’ve screwed enough for the day, I sloppily pulled at my carry on attempting to reach the overhead bin in one fell swoop. Bam! Trust me to do the one job right — I flipped my co-passenger’s drink, spilling wine on her dress. Genuinely hoped to flee in the moment. Luckily for me, this incredibly sweet lady was all empathetic to the situation. I apologized profusely and we got chatting…
***
2019 was a big year of learning for me. I’d gotten myself immersed in the world of streaming services. The revenue strategy across verticals had all but transitioned (or) were speedily in the process of moving from advertising to monetizing through subscriptions. The transformation was immediate, almost a given in the media industry, in that tiered price points for various bundled offerings were the way to go on mobile. Film and TV had seen much of the transformation earlier in the decade, but Games-as-a-Service was just getting started. It was also the year that we started seeing an acceleration of content as commodity. Fans were rushing through content at record speed — binge-watching episodic content at a mind blowing pace, swiping through articles as though flipping notes, and advancing game levels in a matter of hours. For incredibly low cost.
***
By now, we had settled in with the fight taxiing for takeoff. I apologized to my co-passenger again for ruining her skirt. She was really nice about it. We started chatting. Turns out she was a producer. A producer for not any show — one of the greatest TV shows ever made — a show that stole the hearts of millions during its air time. An iconic adaptation of an equally iconic book of epic proportions. I obviously wanted to know every little detail, right from concept through storyboarding and execution. It was fascinating to learn about the writer’s room sessions, the build up of characters and the arc that connects them all. We continued our chat through dinner before I cautiously put forth a personal opinion (that I knew was generally shared by others). The final season was just not what I’d expected at all. In fact, this season was so blown out of proportions in expectations that the outcome on screen felt incredibly botched. Rushed to the point where it seemed like the show runners just wanted to be done with it. Why?
***
2019 had another revelation for me. Beyond the high volume of content created+consumed, it was also becoming clear that a certain playbook was emerging. A set of patterns that clearly paved the way for marketing content across all verticals (TV, Music, Games etc.) One distinct pattern was the emerging trend of franchises that accrued a fan base through mixed media experiences. Take The Legend of Zelda for instance — The enduring saga of Link, the hero of Hyrule, has spanned decades and captured the hearts of gamers worldwide. Through immersive gameplay, intricate narratives, and memorable characters, “The Legend of Zelda” franchise has built a dedicated fan base that eagerly anticipates each new installment. Beyond the realm of gaming, this franchise has extended its storytelling prowess through music and adaptations. The iconic melodies composed by Koji Kondo have become instantly recognizable, enhancing the emotional resonance of the game’s world and deepening the connection with players. Moreover, the franchise has expanded into other forms of media, including animated series, manga adaptations, and even a highly acclaimed concert series, “The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses.” By leveraging the power of video games as a storytelling medium and embracing other forms of expression, “The Legend of Zelda” has successfully cultivated a vibrant and passionate community that continues to grow and evolve alongside the franchise.
***
Why? What happened? How did an iconic powerhouse of storytelling lose their way in what could’ve elevated the franchise to atmospheric levels? My co-passenger gave me a few clues: Rushed storytelling, character arcs and subversions, running out of source material and inconsistent writing. Amongst others, one note stood out to me. The inability to take cues from the fan community. I felt that in my own journey as a fan of the series. During the early episodes of the final season, there were multiple instances of fans showing their dissatisfaction over the way characters were killed with little to no correlation with the meta story.
Conversely, the willingness to listen, collate and integrate thoughts and aspirations from the fan community fueled the gaming industry further, consolidating their IP from the standpoint of “compounded love”, built over foundational story-telling. The Legend of Zelda franchise has a rich history of engaging with its fan community to enhance the storytelling experience. One notable example of fan involvement can be seen in the development of “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” Recognizing the passionate and dedicated fan base, the game’s developers, Nintendo, actively sought input from fans through various channels, including social media and dedicated forums.
Throughout the game’s development process, Nintendo took note of fan theories, desires, and feedback, incorporating them into the final product. They paid attention to fan interpretations of the series’ lore, examining fan-made theories and discussions to gain insights into what resonated most with the community. By acknowledging and responding to the fan community, Nintendo was able to harness their collective creativity and passion, resulting in a more immersive and satisfying storytelling experience. As was evident in the opening week of one of the most anticipated launches this year: Tears Of The Kingdom.
Could IP creators across media verticals integrate their story-telling processes with some level of input from the community. Is it feasible? How would we filter the signal from noise? Surely, it isn’t sustainable to source continuous feedback from the fanbase at every step in the narrative process. Overextending these relationships comes with its own set of baggages — Anyone managing fandoms will attest to that. Yet, that fine balance when hit, has shown remarkable outcomes. Nintendo, Riot and Disney have all proven the realm of possibility at scale. Can we usher in an age of lean-forward, collaborative stories that bring further agency to consumers?
***
As we retired for the evening, her parting words were: “If content is king, then the community fueling the love are the king makers.”
Here’s to building great communities!
Cheers!
