Why Are Celebrity-Themed Games So Popular?

Starting with the eponymous Bruce Lee, starring the martial artist’s likeness, there has been an increasing popularity in games that are themed around celebrities. Even titles like the Madden franchise are named after a person and not the sport that’s being played. They take up a strange space in the overall world of entertainment that still thrives to this day.

One of the most iconic examples of this is Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, putting players in the shoes of the King of Pop himself. It had a strange flashiness that placed Michael Jackson in a position to hurt bad guys using magical abilities, and was unapologetically branded all over. Not only did the marketing work, but players felt like real superstars, and it arguably laid the groundwork for the trend.

Looking at today’s comparisons, celebrity games are less about entertainment and more about the fandom it’s a part of. When thinking about Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, the focus was more on Hollywood culture, more so than Kim’s character. Even the gameplay helped immerse players by making it more of a lifestyle simulation that gave you the steering wheel to your own story. All the way through to the end of its run in 2024, it was a commercial success that proved that celebrity-themed games are still operating in full swing.

Another example blends the celebrity with the brand as a whole: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. They’re a franchise of skateboarding games that ultimately don’t have a whole lot to do with the star athlete, but you can’t think Pro Skater without also thinking about Tony Hawk.

Slot games are also a great example of games that put celebrities and familiar faces at the front. So many of them are themed around iconic names and faces like NSYNC and Alice Cooper. These games are no strangers to embracing famous faces, cultural legends, and shock-rock to stand out among the sea of cabinets and screens.

Of course, one of the real reasons why these games are so popular, and continue to be, is because of the familiarity associated with whoever’s face is on them. Even if a player doesn’t necessarily know how to play the game or bonus features, they are drawn to the recognition.

At the UK-based online casino, Casino Kings, players can also explore a huge range of celebrity-inspired slots that also add to this trend. Celebrity branding and fandoms have become increasingly more popular in recent years, and manage to put themselves in a position where, typically, gameplay or narratives would be considered more important.