After Netflix and others, Playstation and Xbox now preparing original series
With original series coming to more and more platforms, game consoles were the logical next step.
Gamers have always been a very dedicated and loyal bunch. They have this way of getting attached to a narrative a sticking to it for hours on.
Well, this is not something that had gone unnoticed by console manufacturers and game studios.
Sony has announced they are giving the green light to the production of “Powers”, an adaptation based on the iconic comic book.
The interesting thing is that this 10 episode series, each an hour long, will be made available on the Playstation platform.
The decision makes total sense. You already have an audience that is known to be interested in specific types of content, why not produce it and make it available directly to them instead of trying to have them visit another of your media properties?
And why not have it made by the same team who have successfully adapted another comic book: “The Walking Dead”?
This announcement comes as Microsoft has also said it will create a series adapted from its extremely popular “Halo” franchise, to be distributed on its Xbox platform.
Lesley Goldberg over at Hollywood Reporter has a fairly complete article on the announcement. My recommended read for this week.
[Update August 2014 : Original content production doesn’t to be on Microsoft’s agenda anymore. The firm has announced a large restructuring of its divisions that triggered the closing of its Xbox Entertainment Studios. The majority of content produced by this division will never see the light of day. Only some hybrid projects in the likes of Quantum Break of the Halo TV series will not be impacted. Source : Polygon, Gameplanet, Artechnica – via Simon Breton (@Soul_Shaolin), France]