Is 'Rabbids Invasion' a TV Show or Game? Why Not Both?
Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show Announcement Trailer [US]
Ubisoft's bug-eyed Rabbids are about to tell TV producers in Hollywood a lot without being able to say much at all.
The animated characters that communicate in gibberish and a lot of shouting are the stars of "Rabbids Invasion," a series that has broken out as a hit on Nickelodeon over the past year and become Ubisoft Motion Pictures’ first success story since the film and TV arm of the French gamemaker was formed. The show airs in 25 countries.
But as it moves forward with new episodes for a second season, Ubisoft is about to blur the lines of what it takes to make a TV show and game.
In what could prove a clever cost-effective way of ringing more coin out of content for kids programmers, Ubisoft has taken existing episodes of “Rabbids Invasion” and will re-release them with mini games added to the same scenes in November.
The conceit is simple enough: As an episode plays, a group of viewers are asked to participate in a series of challenges that have each one replicate the poses of the Rabbids when frozen in place, draw mustaches on them, dance with the characters, hurl them across the screen, compete in an egg fight, or help them identify objects by pointing at the screen. Overall, there are more than 400 activities.
The game utilizes the Kinect motion sensor on Microsoft’s Xbox One and Xbox 360 videogame consoles and the camera on the PlayStation 4.
Other elements, like scoring and augmented reality features that put the Rabbids in the players’ rooms, are also added as rewards. There’s even the option to take selfies with the characters or shout their signature “bwaah!” at them through the Kinect’s voice controls.
Pulling off the project required some planning.
Developers of the game initially took finished episodes and tried to figure out ways to make them playable. Now, however, that same team works closely with the show’s producers to come up with play patterns as the show’s being written. Where it once took six months to turn seven minutes of an episode into a game, collaborating with series creators has dropped that time down to a month for two episodes.
"We now a pipeline in place," said "Rabbids Invasion" producer Xavier Manzanares. "It was a new approach and way of working for us."
Ubisoft initially introduced the “Rabbids Invasion” game at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo videogame confab, but opted to wait and see if the TV show would take off and become a hit before releasing the interactive version.
Producers had looked at other kids shows like “Dora the Explorer” and watched how the character asked viewers to point at different items on the screen. "We said, 'This could be quite interesting,' and started to add basic interactivity to the show," Manzanares said.
Mini games couldn't just be added into episodes, however.
Game designers at Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft Casablanca and Ubisoft Barcelona had to learn how to add the right amount of gameplay to the series.
"We had to work on the basic elements of rhythm," Manzanares said. "We had to learn how a show is done."
The initial batch of test episodes "had a lot of gameplay all the time," Manzanares said. "It broke the experience. We had to come up with a good balance of the show and the jokes so the viewer could see what was happening and then an activity to get viewers to stand up and participate. That was the biggest challenge for us."
"We have tried to create bridges," adds Jean-Julien Baronnet, CEO of Ubisoft Motion Pictures. "I don't know anything about making games. Our core competency is TV series and movies. On the other side, their core competency is games. We decided to create a system that combines both and the interactive TV series is a way to showcase the brand but to create new generations of content."
Should the “Rabbids Invasion” game become a hit, other childrens television producers could easily give their shows the same treatment and monetize the content in a similar fashion.
"Normally you watch a show, but now it's a participatory experience," which helps players connect with the characters on the screen in new ways.
The challenge of producing interactive TV often means coming up with scripts that would trigger new storylines if characters made certain moves on the screen.
What Ubisoft is doing with the "Rabbids Invasion" game, however, enables the company to "add interaction without having to completely redo the show," Manzanares said.
But Ubisoft already had a leg up with its Rabbids.
First introduced in 2006, the characters have already appeared in a series of party games, which have sold more than 14 million video games, and spun off an extensive line of consumer products, and more recently a theme park attraction in France. Viral videos of the characters have also generated more than 71 million views on YouTube.
"Rabbids Invasion" also is getting the licensing treatment, with books from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and MacFarlane Toys at Walmart and Toys R Us stores.
In addition to a new order of 26 half-hour episodes for Nickelodeon, co-produced with France Télévisions, Ubisoft is also developing a full-length animated feature at Sony set to star the Rabbids.
FILED UNDER: Rabbids, Rabbids Invasion, Ubisoft, Ubisoft Motion Pictures
'Rabbids Invasion' interactive TV show announced - E3 2013Below is Ubisoft Motion Pictures' full press release announcing the Nick News, from GamesPress via Gamasutra:
Rabbids Invasion is an interactive TV show coming to Nickelodeon and Xbox One.
Announced during Ubisoft's E3 press conference, Rabbids Invasion allows players to interact with scenes from the show by participating in mini-games.
Using Kinect, players can dance with the Rabbids, solve puzzles, throw objects at the screen and even scream at the television.
It is unclear when the game and TV show will launch, but the debut trailer said that it was coming soon.
Rabbids Invasion was announced alongside multiplayer racing game The Crew, Trials Fusion, Just Dance 2014, Tom Clancy's: The Division and Rocksmith 2014.
Ubisoft also debuted new Assassin's Creed 4 and Watch Dogs footage, as well as Rayman Legends and Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
Watch the latest Rayman Legends trailer [here on DigitalSpy.co.uk]:
UBISOFT® MAKES INTERACTIVE TV A REALITY WITH CREATION OF RABBIDS® INVASION THE INTERACTIVE TV SHOWAlso, from BuzzFocus.com:
LONDON, UK —June 10, 2013 — Today at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft announced that it is delivering an interactive TV series playable on mobile devices and next-gen consoles, partnering closely with Microsoft to bring it to Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. The Rabbids Invasion TV series, created by Ubisoft Motion Pictures in partnership with France Televisions and Nickelodeon, airs later this year. Rabbids Invasion The Interactive TV Show will be available in 2014.
The interactive series is being developed by Ubisoft Paris with support from Ubisoft Barcelona. With more than 14 million games sold, the Rabbids are some of Ubisoft’s best-loved characters, and their wacky adventures appeal to kids and families across the globe. With Rabbids Invasion The Interactive TV Show, the majority of the 78 seven-minute CGI episodes from the original Rabbids Invasion TV series will be adapted to allow the audience to join with the Rabbids in acting out some of their crazy antics.
Thanks to the integrated motion control and voice recognition of next-generation consoles, Ubisoft is able to create an innovative mix of classic television programming and the interactive elements of video games. On mobile devices, Rabbids Invasion The Interactive TV Show will be playable using touch technology as well as other features such as the camera and microphone.
“By bringing truly interactive TV to life, Ubisoft is revolutionizing the way entertainment is delivered and experienced,” said Adrian Lacey, IP Development Director of Ubisoft’s French studios. “We believe that Rabbids Invasion The Interactive TV Show enriches the hilarious narrative content of the TV show and provides a way for the whole family to not just watch, but participate in the program.”
About Ubisoft Motion Pictures
Ubisoft Motion Pictures was created in January 2011 to expand the audience of Ubisoft’s successful video game brands by bringing them to film, television and Web series. In addition to the Rabbids TV series, the studio is also in production on two feature-length films: Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. A feature film based on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon is also in development.
About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher, and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through a strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 29 countries and has sales in more than 55 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. For the 2012-13 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,256 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
© 2013 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Rabbids, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries
© 2013 Ubisoft Motion Pictures Rabbids SAS. All Rights Reserved. Rabbids, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries
Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE and Xbox One are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
Ubisoft launches Rabbids on TV with better-than-Dora Interactivity
At E3 2013, Ubisoft announced a new Rabbids TV show, launched in joint partnership with Nickelodeon. The program will be called Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Series.
Using the Xbox One Kinect capabilities, home viewers can play interactive games along with the TV series. In one game, players will be able to “massacre” rabbids by throwing eggs. Other modes in Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive include dancing games and games that allow you to scream along with the rabbids on TV. In the latter game, if you scream with your children, you will also see the TV screen begin to “crack.”
If you’ve ever watched Dora the Explorer along with your children, you know how much your children love interacting with the on-screen characters of Dora and Boots. Now instead of a Find Boots mini-game, they can find one of the many varieties of Rabbids.
Rabbids Invasion will join Halo in Xbox’s new push to integrate more TV related content into Xbox online services.
AFDESI International ITV Awards 2012 – nominees
WATCH VIDEOS OF MOST NOMINEES [here on the official Broadband TV News website, broadbandtvnews.com]. AFDESI, the Interactive TV professional organisation, has announced the nominees for the International ITV Awards 2012 edition for the best interactive productions from around the World.
In the category Advertising: Neotion Blue Bridge (France) and Amaguiz from Wiztivi (France) –
[...]
In Connected TV the ARD EPG (Germany), MeteoNews from Dotscreen (France), France 24 (France) The Karaoke Channel App from Stingray Digital (Canada) and LIFEStyle from TV only (France).
Enhanced TV: The Olympic Games London 2012 from Dotscreen (France), Onteve from Nacamar (Germany), My Nickelodeon Junior (USA), KISS-BOX from P&T LUX GSM (Luxembourg) and The Karaoke Channel App from Stingray Digital (Canada).
Entertainment: Your Humour TV from Dotscreen (France), Gong Vision from Gong Networks (UK), My Nickelodeon Junior (USA), the Karaoke Channel App from Stingray Digital (Canada) and Universal Music from Wiztivi (France).
Innovation and Technology: Air4742 from AirTies Wirelss Networks (Turkey). HbbTV Starter Kit from HTTV (France), the NDS Vision of the Future from NDS, now part of Cisco (UK), Salto from TDF/France Television (France) and TNF Xtra from Visiware (France).
Multiscreen: Multiscreen Feature from HTTV (France). KISS-BOX from Niche Guardian (Luxembourg), TotalGuide from ROVI (USA), 3D Cross Media from Virdual (France) and PlayAlong – Who wants to be a millionaire from Visiware (France).
User experience and Design Interface: Les Zouzous from Dotscreen (France), Onteve from Nacamar (Germany), Horizon from NDS, now part of CISCO (UK) and My Nickelodeon Junior (USA)
The award ceremony will take place during MIPCOM 2012 in Esterel Auditorium, Palais des Festival, on October 9, at 18.00 hours, in Cannes, France.
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