We all know, and in many cases, from years or even decades of practical experience, that movie tie-in games seldom go well. They go almost as well as movies based on games, and anyone who's seen more than a half-dozen of them knows how well that goes. Firefly Games, meanwhile, has managed to not only land investment in its plan to bring more Hollywood to gaming, but a new report suggests that it's managed to pull in a second round. That second round was worth $10 million, at last report, and that's big news.

Interestingly, this time, one of the biggest investors in this $10 million round was an unusual source: China Construction Bank International Holdings. This is actually one of the biggest banks in China, at least part of it, and it wasn't the only one getting in on the action. China Credit Limited Holdings also laid cash in on this run, and that makes for an odd mix. However, it's not particularly surprising to see banks getting in on this; with mobile gaming now a $36 billion industry, pursuing a slice of the action is a worthwhile project. However, with major competitors already entrenched, it means that newcomers have a tough time getting in...at least, not without some backing, which Firefly Games now has.

With $18 million total investment to its credit, and some major names involved--Michael Zhang and Justin K.J. Lin--it's got a lot of firepower to work with. Throw in plans to build around Hollywood IP that already has an audience and the end result could be a ready-made market. Reports note that the company is already working on one such game, and that could be the start of something impressive.

The recipe by itself is a worthwhile one. It's got resources, it's got a decent audience--at least potentially--and if it's got the content to match then it may be poised for a success. Of course, it's also got to overcome the long string of failures that games built around Hollywood films are noted for. If it can break the chain, then it stands a very good chance of doing well in the market. That's a strong if, however; the notion of movie-based games has been a dud for a long time, and one company trying to turn that around will be a tall order. It will be a tall order to just keep from looking like a cheesy cash grab, a point that's a real risk.

If it can get the content down--and with 35 employees on hand, it's got a good chance to develop right--then it may not only have a prime opportunity to make some cash, but it may be preparing to break a chain of disaster going back 30 years or more. That may be an even bigger development than anything that comes out of its shop.