Telltale unveils Super Show project, using original IP

After a week of big changes at Telltale Games, the studio has revealed plans to develop what it describes as a Super Show based on its first original IP.

Following news of a big investment from Lionsgate and the appointment of former EA boss and Unity CEO John Riccitiello this week, Telltale CEO Kevin Bruner has outlined some details about the still mysterious Super Show to Entertainment Weekly.

A Super Show episode combines one part of interactive playable content with one part of scripted television style content,” he explained. Both pieces, when combined together, are what make an actual Super Show ‘episode’. As we’ve been developing the series, we’re using both mediums in concert to deliver our story.

Developing both aspects simultaneously is key to utilising this new medium. Both parts are first class citizens during the writing and design process. It’s not an interactive series with a show, or a TV show with a game, but a story integrated in a way that only Telltale can do. For us it’s a very natural evolution of the interactive story telling expertise we’ve pioneered.”

Bruner added that while each episode will include a lot of content, releases are unlikely to happen weekly – although it does intend to follow a regular TV-like release schedule. The fist Super Show will be based on as as-of-yet unspecified original IP developed in collaboration with a world-class creative partner”.

Bruner says Telltale will initially continue to own or co-own any IP made into Super Shows, although he can envisage bringing the format to existing IP in the future. And Lionsgate IP may be a prime candidate, he admits.

Our goal is to create products that have a legitimate chance of winning both a Golden Globe and a Game of the Year,” he added. This means both aspects of the productions must be first class work.

Each Super Show episode [the interactive game and the scripted episode] will be released as a package designed so that you can consume the interactive portion or watch the scripted show portion in any order you’d like.

For instance, if you play the interactive episode first, certain elements of the scripted episode portion will be tailored to reflect some choices made in your interactive play through. If you watch the show before playing, some elements in the interactive portions may be presented differently than if you played first. The interactive episodes will never release without a scripted episode, they will always come out together.”

Super Shows will not replace Telltale’s more established episodic game format, with the studio intending to continue producing both for the time being.