Entertaining, explosive, and intriguing, the gaming industry has everything it takes for compelling storylines and engaging plots. That’s what many filmmakers have relied on while they were contemplating making a gaming-centric movie. Here are some excellent choices that have the necessary entertainment factor, but also come with many lessons to be learned about the rich and diverse gaming industry.
- Atari: Game Over
Atari is a third-party company for Nintendo that was at the front of the video game market from 1975 to the early 1980s, and this movie aims to highlight all the achievements they unlocked during their peak. The movie was made by Zak Penn in 2014, and it quickly became regarded as one of the best gaming documentaries – despite the fact it’s only 66 minutes long.
Aside from covering Atari’s rise and fall during the 70s and the 80s, the game is also spiced with an amusing folk tale involving E.T. It’s biggest and, quite possibly, the only drawback is its short duration.
- Bet Raise Fold
The meteoric rise of the online gambling industry that happened during the 2000s didn’t go unnoticed. Among other things, it resulted in Bet Raise Fold – a 2013 documentary that follows a new generation of Internet poker professionals.
This documentary dives deep into the particularities surrounding the poker business, and it does so by following the storyline of three seemingly different characters who share the same hobby. Due to the plot and the storyline, many people like to watch this film while gambling in Canada, the US, or Europe, as it gives insights into the billion-dollar poker industry, along with some knowledge of the best and worst poker practices.
- Minecraft: The Story of Mojang
It would be mission impossible to find a gamer who hasn’t heard of Minecraft – a game so iconic that it became a phenomenon once it was released in 2011. The game of building, crafting, and enemy-slaying is just as captivating as the Minecraft: The Story of Mojang documentary, which is 104 minutes long.
The film features interviews with people of interest, including key designers—such as Swedish programmers Jens Bergensten and Markus Persson— coming from the studio Mojang. Gamers interested in taking a look at this documentary can rent it or buy it on Apple TV.
- High Score
If you don’t mind investing more time into a gaming documentary, High Score might be the perfect fit for you. It comes in the form of a multi-part miniseries that’s narrated by Charles Martinet—the man behind the voices of both Super Mario and Luigi in the Super Mario video game series. While the narrator alone is enough to attract video game enthusiasts, this mini-series also has an interesting topic, as it covers the chronological history of the 80s and 90s gaming scene.
Both seasoned gamers and newbies can enjoy the six episodes of High Score which are full of interesting facts, intriguing statistics, and fun footage. The series also contains exclusive interviews that add sentimentality into the mix. High Score is a Netflix exclusive, so you will have to create an account to watch it.
- GameChangers: Dreams of BlizzCon
Unlike many gaming documentaries that are focused on the 80s and 90s video game and arcade scene, GameChangers: Dreams of BlizzCon covers the esports industry. Esports gained serious momentum during the 2000s, and this documentary takes an in-depth look into its inner workings. Produced by FilmRise and lasting an hour and a half, the film follows two professional players on their journey to make the World Championships at BlizzCon 2014.
While many watch it because it’s centered around one of the most popular esports titles—StarCraft 2—others are drawn in by the film’s rise-to-the-top premise, which is very characteristic of sports movies. No matter your reasons for watching it, you can do so by renting it on Apple TV or finding it for free on Peacock.
The Bottom Line
Most gamers or gaming lovers watch these films for the interesting storylines and historical facts they dish out. However, many decide to use documentaries as a teaching tool that allows them to learn something new, and they later on use that knowledge to perfect their gameplay. Luckily, the best gaming documentaries can be accessed on the most popular streaming platforms, so everyone can access them after creating an account or signing up.
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