Halo creator sets out on X Quest

MMOGs based on reality TV series to hit PS3, Xbox 360; gamers will have impact on show's outcome, chance to appear on TV.

X Quest

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Gamers with skills will soon have a shot at their own 15 minutes of reality-TV fame. Spectrum MediaWorks, a group designed to develop entertainment franchises that operate across various forms of media, is planning to produce X Quest, a massively multiplayer game that will be simultaneously developed with the reality TV show of the same name, according to the The Hollywood Reporter.

"Entertainment convergence is something that has been talked about for a long time, but the multiple media distribution pipes are now in place to create properties that can work on multiple levels," said Alex Seropian, cofounder of Spectrum MediaWorks. Seropian was also the founder of Bungie Studios, the developer that created the Halo franchise, and currently heads Wideload Games, the studio behind Stubbs the Zombie.

X Quest the game will be released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and like other massively multiplayer online games, it will create a community of players who interact with each other online. However, unlike other MMOGs, its influence will expand beyond gaming consoles. The overall X Quest property, which includes the Fox reality TV show X Quest, will work across formats, meaning that the game will influence the show, and vice versa.

Both the game and the show will be set in the near future, but instead of relying on fantasy elements for future technology, its world will be based on technology currently being developed in the real world. The show, which is the brainchild of director Ron Howard, will see two teams of seven jump into a "space simulator" and take on a series of challenges over a monthlong period.

The game will exist in the same world, and users playing on their PS3s or Xbox 360s will be able to interact with stars from the show. Seropian hopes to bring the best X Quest gamers on board to star in the subsequent seasons of X Quest.

The world of X Quest will also be accessible through the Internet and mobile phones. The show and game are scheduled to launch in the first half of next year. No publisher or developer has been announced for the game.

Spectrum features more familiar faces than just Seropian. The company also has former Warner Bros. vice president Jim Banister, Oddworld Inhabitants founder Lorne Lanning, and Nvidia general manager Drew Henry on board.

65 Comments

  • Keli1989

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 2:10 pm PT

    I will check it out, hope its good....

  • thepeter

    Posted Jul 21, 2006 2:09 pm PT

    as i always say:

    i hope its good.

  • rockokla4life

    Posted Feb 27, 2006 10:40 am PT

    im totally confused hmm

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Feb 27, 2006 8:19 am PT

    ummmm.... dumb

  • ufopuller

    Posted Feb 27, 2006 7:21 am PT

    Hummm

  • Sagacious_Tien

    Posted Feb 27, 2006 7:04 am PT

    This sounds like pure Hollywood - yet some highly respected people are on board. Might be worth a look.

  • vroenis

    Posted Feb 27, 2006 5:58 am PT

    Albamax - nice comments... but it's the internet. unfortunately i don't think many read them. still though, i commend you in your efforts to enlighten the masses. who would have thought that a post containing clarity and reason would garner any respect at all! even if it is just from me. mind you, i am doing it over the internet... ah well.

  • Reetesh

    Posted Feb 27, 2006 12:35 am PT

    Coll they are shortening the Gap between TV and VG

  • FlyingMonk

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 11:09 pm PT

    "Halo creator sets out on X Quest"...
    ... "No publisher or developer has been announced for the game"

    I'm not quite sure I understand this here... is the creator of xquest just some random programmer that once worked for halo, got fired, and now takes credit for more than his share? some random crazy relative that gave someone in bungie a cool idea for halo once?

    Anywho, this thing has got some big hurdles to jump if it wants a chance. It might work if the show was about some random important NPC's, and they assigned objectives and hints and such through the show's plot/dialogue, but I don't think I get the idea of players interacting with the characters... what if a player lost his connection when a main character on the show was trying to talk with him? Do top players get sponsored T3 connections (lol)? Will the show try to force top players to get out of bed before 11pm so they can talk to the characters during prime-time tv? Do those on the show get in-game incentives? how much would those in-game incentives to the on-show players drive away all others from the game due to unfairness? Ever notice how xbox owners and ps owners don't like to talk to eachother much? what if they started talking smack to eachother on tv?

    I'd like to know who is actually behind this thing, and how they are related to bungie. I'd also like to know more about how this thing is going to work, specifically, what players will affect on the show, and how the show will affect the game.

  • greenskin2000

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 10:13 pm PT

    This thing is gonna flop SO bad!

  • kakashi_00x000

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 8:12 pm PT

    very strange...

  • lilsamuraijoe

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 6:40 pm PT

    I dont think this is a reality tv show. Its probably a sci-fi show. The players in the mmorpg play, affect the plot, and thats what happens in the tv show. Thats what im making out of this article. I think gamespot messed up in callin it a reality tv series.

  • CJL13

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 6:38 pm PT

    Which Halo creator is this? The one on Bungie or the guy who made Wideload?

  • ao_bomber

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 5:03 pm PT

    I sense a flop in the making...
    *Goes back to World of Warcraft"

  • earlthecannibal

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 4:55 pm PT

    Halo sucks! why do I care?

  • mounstrolicious

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 3:45 pm PT

    MOFONGO

  • Blink85

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 12:51 pm PT

    I think this will work

    I will play the game maybe marry the superstar girl I hope she is hot lol

    But really I think is a good idea :-)

  • Greatgone12

    Posted Feb 26, 2006 7:21 am PT

    That is so freaking weird....

  • kkoo

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 10:53 pm PT

    Most people replying here didn't even read the damn thing, is not putting gamers on TV, the game and tv show will interact with each other now almost everybody heres think is putting the gamers on tv playing the game :S.

    The idea sounds cool to me, but I would of love more that the show wont be a reality one, more like drama certain events happens in the show that changes the game and lets you know alot of stuff and vice-versa certain individuals who are good at the game accomplish something in the game and changes the show.

    This kind of interaction is new so lets see who it goes :S.

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 10:45 pm PT

    sounds interesting

  • Albamax

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 10:07 pm PT

    I think it is important here to see what is going on. People need to put their own opinions aside and consider a few things.

    1) Seropian founded Bungie, not some mildly successful but little known company.

    2) Anyone who watches 24, House, the OC, American Idol or any other major FOX television show, will see this thing being promoted.

    3) Dance Dance Revolution (and similar games) and The Sims provided significant market penetration.

    *4) Ron Howard.

    *5) The goal was clearly stated. "Entertainment convergence." NOT compete with World of Warcraft.

    Everything truly new is always a risk. It is possible this is ahead of its time. 3 years ago this wouldn't work. But maybe the world is ready. Would it be cool to be a celebrity for winning $15,000 in a StarCraft tournament? Yea, but this is not Korea. In America, people are different and the media is different. I think this is a good idea with what it holds for where it can the industry. And no, I don't watch reality tv, I don't play the Sims nor DDR, and I certainly don't vote for the next American Idol.... but the rest of America does. And America is a bandwagon.

  • Pfc_Meanstreet

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 6:13 pm PT

    Note to self: Stay long away from that!

  • anthrt

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 2:42 pm PT

    "Halo creator sets out on X Quest"

    why is the name of the halo creator not mentioned in this story at all?

  • Gmex

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 1:34 pm PT

    hmmm how does this affect anything?

  • highlife

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 12:19 pm PT

    Reality/Videogames This is crap, not suppose to be together. This will fail badly.

  • Zorak000

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 10:40 am PT

    uhhhhhh... Good luck?

  • Spyder596

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 10:03 am PT

    no developer and publisher yet, and its to be released early next year? it doesnt stand a chance.

  • drangel_jam

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 2:20 am PT

    How does it play?

  • superelite2688

    Posted Feb 25, 2006 1:48 am PT

    i dont get it really
    i wodner how it will go...

  • mark_unix

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 10:47 pm PT

    hope M$ isn't going to buy it AGAIN...

  • rumsfeld47

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 10:10 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • ASZ993

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 10:07 pm PT

    This idea is so dumb it isn't even next gen! It's just another way for TV stations to tap into the audience that, instead of watching their primetime shows, play games instead. (No offense)

    Now... if there was a reality TV show based off of WoW... that would be interesting.

  • dalriders

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 10:02 pm PT

    WORD.........

  • Mafia217

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 8:45 pm PT

    ohhhh ahhh ehhhh uyyyyy!

  • rctyke

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 8:01 pm PT

    Odd that the creator of Halo will make the game on the PS3. then again, Microsoft bought Bungie. OR did the creator of halo leave bungie.

  • alberto2045

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 7:34 pm PT

    I think somebody needs to tell MICROSOFT that the upcoming HALO 3 wont do anything to the sales of the PS3.

  • AlexWills

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 7:03 pm PT

    Well hopefully this wont be as overrated as Halo.

  • Jedi_Osborn

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 5:23 pm PT

    They're kidding, right?

  • Ninjamonkeyofd

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 4:36 pm PT

    this is a very dumb idea, it could ruin the gaming world we know today. Like politicians try to do....

  • d3mon27

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 4:28 pm PT

    i realy dont get it though wat do u do in the game

  • d3mon27

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 4:23 pm PT

    actually if set up right i have a fealing this will be a rev. of some sort mixing nerds with tv.... sounds good to me BEST NERDS ON TV WOOOOOOT and after this im pretty sure some other people will make games just like this except fps's , and so on

  • Xrules06

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:52 pm PT

    It sounds like a cool idea.

  • cusoker

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:45 pm PT

    i am simply speechless. I havent heard of an idea set to crash and burn as badly as this one in a long time.

  • davahsa

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:27 pm PT

    WOW, my brain still hurts from this one.... and do they know what the vast majority of MMO players look like? Putting them on tv=failure. I feel bad for lorne lang... at least he's getting paid and I'm sure he'll get some great laughs out of this

  • runstalker

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:27 pm PT

    Since nobody read it all, here's the nutshell version of the premise:

    "The show, which is the brainchild of director Ron Howard, will see two real-life teams of seven jump into a "space simulator" and take on a series of challenges over a month-long period. Meanwhile, the console game will exist in the same world (as the "space simulator"), and users playing on their PS3s or Xbox 360s will be able to interact with stars from the show."

  • LinkinSnake

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:22 pm PT

    wat?

  • Oni

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:15 pm PT

    Reality TV Meets MMO? Sounds like a great match up since alot of people live their lives in MMOs ... like my best friend who never calls me anymore because she's too busy lvl up her priest and saving for her Epic Mount. Bah.

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:13 pm PT

    I think it's an interesting concept that got my attention.

  • GamerDude02

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:11 pm PT

    Interesting concept

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Feb 24, 2006 3:11 pm PT

    sounds kinda dum....couldnt the halo developer make a better mmo to kick WOWS but?

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