The video game industry is now worth more than film and music combined, valued in the hundreds of billions globally. According to many studies, 2013’s Grand Theft Auto V is the “most financially successful media title of all time”, surpassing any book, film, or music release—excluding Minecraft and Tetris, which exist across countless platforms. Long gone are the days when gaming was the niche domain of computer hobbyists and little kids.
With such a lucrative opportunity, it’s no wonder that many bands over the years have been more than happy to slap their name and likeness on a video game to make a quick buck. Whether out of crass commercialism or genuinely invested intrigue in gaming’s creative possibilities, there was a time when your favourite artists may well have offered a gripping, first-person adventure quest along with a T-shirt, mug, and, in Metallica’s case, a licensed Monopoly board.
Kiss: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child (2000)
You knew they were coming. Naturally, the fire-breathing hard rockers Kiss‘ perpetual dollar-signed eyes would see video games as another tantalising merchandising opportunity, along with lunchboxes, ‘kondoms’, and even a funeral casket. Alongside Kiss Pinball for the PlayStation, the Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley Corp also oversaw a video game of their Psycho Circus comic book series.
Released on Sega’s final console, Dreamcast, the game is essentially a Quake clone where a Kiss tribute band is transported to some mythical ether of hellish, carnival monsters and bosses lifted from the comic’s villains. Progressing through the game, you’ll acquire power-ups corresponding to the band members’ theatrical identity, Simmons’ firepower, etc. Not a bad effort for 2000, but pedestrian when considering the competition around at the time.