BBC to make show-based games
The BBC is going to start creating games based on TV shows such as Doctor Who and Top Gear. Oh dear.
The news comes via MCV, who has confirmed that the games will be mostly targeted at platforms with mainstream appeal - namely the Wii, DS, iPhone and Facebook.
A full list of games hasn't yet been unveiled, but BBC spokespersons have said they are hoping to create games based on Doctor Who, Top Gear and In The Night Garden. You can pretty much guarantee that they'll be a 'Dancing with/on X, Y or Z' game too.
"We are open to conversations with anybody in games about all kinds of business models to see how we can extract more value," said children's and licensing MD Neil Ross Russell.
"What we’re trying to do is build the brands here - this is not about opportunistic licensing. If we wanted to do that we would have done more with these key brands over the last few years."
The initiative will be headed up by Robert Nashak, formerly of EA and Yahoo.
Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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17 Comments
Discuss in the forums ReplyBut it won't be that way, will it?
I'm all for BBC innovating & providing a value service for the people who are paying for it (simply in order to be legally allowed to have a television in the UK), but when so much of the programming & information service is bought in and/or of poor quality & they continue to overpay certain elements of the service citing market competition then I'm frankly unable to feel positive about this.
The Dr Who one is actually that bad.
there is no way these are going to be good
why is my license fee paying for this and BBC 4 etc
You should complain....Top gear doesnt need games...if it does even if they make a full production game itd be cheaper than some of the stuff they do with our liscence £
Dout any of these will be better
having seen the quality of some of their online games and content, i'm actually quite interested to see what they produce.
thought EA and Yahoo as a background doesn't sound like a glowing recommendation to me.
the titles they've brought up though - all big with kids - top gear has a trading card game out at the moment firmly aimed at kids, and doctor who is huge with kids and has at least one spin off aimed squarely at kids... i expect these games to be aimed in the same direction and as such not to appeal to the 'gamers' that frequent this site
but at the end of the day (hate that phrase grr) anything the bbc does that brings in revenue other than our fees can only be a good thing as it means they're less likely to put it up as much as they otherwise would.
Worldwide does provide money for BBC programs in return for commericial rights. Without this money BBC television would be very **** rather than just mostly ****. Still better than the "other side" tho!
Good move I think, they have some great brands that will be no less rubbish as games than any other tie in.
I want some sort of Dr Who based monster shooter aimed at PC/PS3/360. You get to play as Cpt Jack and save the world while "dancing" with cute non psycotic monsters!
You can on rFactor :D