Andrew Lloyd-Webber To Bring 'Cats', 'Evita', 'Phantom', And More To Gaming

Leave a Comment Posted January 13, 2009 - By r_pad

Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Really Useful Group is working on a series of music games based on Lloyd-Webber's award-winning musicals. Among the musicals being considered for the games are Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. According to paidContent:

"The group, founded in 1977 to run Lloyd-Webber’s stage, TV, music and other interests, has been speaking with half-a-dozen international game publishers, believed to include EA, aiming to develop titles over several years across consoles, PCs and mobile, as part of its multimedia expansion. The group says two industry shifts have prompted its interest: the emergence of more female gamers in the traditionally male-dominated game consumer demographic, and the popularity of singing- and music-based titles like Playstation’s Singstar and Xbox’s Lips. Guitar Hero maker Harmonix’s forthcoming Beatles performance game also shows how music brands can be translated into play. The first Lloyd-Webber titles will let players sing along as characters in the composer’s shows and could involve elements of 'audition,' just like in his BBC shows I’d Do Anything and How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and last year’s Lloyd-Webber-themed episode of American Idol."

I grew up in New York City and had the opportunity to see all the aforementioned musicals on Broadway. While Andrew Lloyd-Webber isn't my favorite composer (I find many of his musicals uneven and some, overrated), he's written several outstanding songs and the global appeal of his musicals can't be denied. Games based on his works have the potential to become sizeable mainstream hits, especially if backed by a mega-publisher like EA. As an added bonus, gamers would be exposed to an area of pop culture that rarely touches games, and that's a great thing.

Do you think Andrew Lloyd-Webber games would sell well? Are you ready to bust out some "Mr. Mistoffolees," "I Don't Know How to Love Him," or "The Music of the Night"?

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