When the world's largest videogames publisher considers making an interactive TV show, you know that - despite the odds - they have the weight to pull to it off. So it is with interest that we note EA is considering just that; an interactive TV show in the vein of The Sims. EA is already in discussion with several production companies regarding the possibilities, and they clearly feel they can tap into the collective desire for voyeurism and megalomania which links TV shows like Big Brother, and games like The Sims. Actions in the show could be controlled by viewers votes, possibly using Digital TV voting options, and this would certainly mark a major diversification for EA.
"One idea could be that you're controlling a family, telling them when to go to the kitchen and when to go to the bedroom, and with this mechanism you have gamers all over the world 'playing the show'," commented EA's Jan Bolz, vice president of marketing and sales for Europe.
Such a show would do much to soften the image of 'games' with older audiences, and women, not members of EA's traditional demographic - and this in turn would fuel the expansion of EA' s customer base, or so they'll be hoping. We'll keep you posted on whether this is ever likely to reach fruition.
By Luke Guttridge, on 17th Jan 2005.
Ferrago
