In a Galaxy Far Far Away...

Imagine a universe, so large and expansive, that stories can be created out of thin air, where billions of people are unknown, and historical events are just a thought away. In the Star Wars universe, there are almost endless possibilities for these things. Due to the size and magnitude of the universe that George Lucas and LucasArts have created, the world of transmedia can be utilized to an extreme. Books can be written about places that no one knows about, comic books can chronicle the story of an unknown hero, and a video game can be created to allow users to fight in a war no one knew happened. Transmedia has allowed the Star Wars franchise to remain in a profitable situation since its inception. Countless number of books, comics, TV shows, and video games have been created in order to maximize the stories that come of of the universe. This has allowed fans to become more involved with the franchise the likes few franchises have ever achieved. For example, in the video game Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic, you create your own character who can forge his or her own story, forever changing the Star Wars universe based on their decisions and actions. That sort of power and control makes fans devote themselves in ways a traditional film never could before. All of these avenues of media also help appeal to such a large range of demographics, from those who enjoy reading, to kids who want to play video games and read comics, to casual fans who want to watch a TV show every now and then. The utilization of transmedia in such an expansive and ever growing universe has made the Star Wars franchise a self-sustaining idea that can last the test of time with the proper execution. Other franchises have begun to realize the power that transmedia has and have began its implementation into their franchises as well. Sooner or later, companies will realize that if they want to live on with their franchises, they will need to make transmedia a key priority.