NYT Games heads to the movies in Screenvision pre-show deal

The cinema pre-show is about to become playable.

NYT Games has partnered with Screenvision to bring interactive NYT Games offerings into the movie theatre pre-show, as reported by Variety. It is the first time NYT Games has created an interactive play-along experience for cinemas, according to the same report.

The pre-show is the run of adverts and trailers shown before a film begins. In this case, that slot will include games material made for the whole room to join in together, rather than something watched passively from a seat.

The rollout is fast. The experience will expand nationwide by Thanksgiving under an initial one-year pact, Variety reported. A one-year pact means the two sides have agreed that first year as a starting term.

NYT Games and Screenvision also plan to refresh the pre-show games content on a regular basis, according to Variety. That matters for regular cinemagoers. A refreshed line-up means a second or third visit later in the year should not bring the exact same game.

The deal was unveiled at a Screenvision event at the Angelika in New York City, Variety reported. The evening included a screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It was followed by a Q&A with Matthew Broderick.

What makes this stand out is the setting. Puzzles are usually small and solitary, played on a phone on the sofa or on the train. This version moves that habit into a large, shared room, in the minutes before the main feature starts.

For fans, this means timing matters. Arrive after the trailers and you miss it. Arrive early and the wait for the film becomes part of the night out.