Digital Giving Adds Saban's "Power Rangers" To T-Shirt Booth App

The licensing industry news website Licensing.biz is reporting the exciting "Power Rangers" news in the following article that Digital Giving and Saban Brands have confirmed a partnership between the T-Shirt Booth app and Saban's "Power Rangers" franchise which will benefit Fit for Sport, a health and activity provider for children and the Voice of Kids!

Digital Giving's free T-Shirt Booth app allows fans to personalise a t-shirt with just a few taps of their smartphone or tablet. Simply start with a selection of character designs, choose from a wide range of colours and sizes, personalise it with a name and photo and a t-shirt is on its way.

£2 of each t-shirt sale goes to Saban's charity partner, Fit for Sport.

Digital Giving's T-Shirt Booth app is available to download free on Apple's App Store and Google Play:

Now T-Shirt Booth app adds Power Rangers

New partnership will help to raise money for Fit for Sport.

Digital Giving and Saban Brands have confirmed a partnership between the T-Shirt Booth app and Power Rangers which will benefit Fit for Sport, a health and activity provider for children and the Voice of Kids.

Digital Giving's free T-Shirt Booth app allows fans to personalise a t-shirt with just a few taps of their smartphone or tablet. Start with a selection of character designs, choose from a wide range of colours and sizes, personalise it with a name and photo and a t-shirt is on its way.

£2 of each t-shirt sale goes to the brand's partner charity, in this case Fit for Sport.

"Through this partnership, we'll also have the unique opportunity to give back to Fit for Sport, an organisation that aligns perfectly with the Power Rangers' core values of teamwork, confidence, health and fitness and helping others," said Gustavo Antonioni, MD of consumer products EMEA at Saban Brands.

Grant Morgan, co-founder of Digital Giving, added: "We're absolutely delighted to see Power Rangers joining a host of other children's favourite characters in this digital fundraising product range."

TAGS power rangers, saban brands, t-shirt booth, fit for sport

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DEFY Media Acquires Viacom's Digital Gaming Assets

DEFY Media, LLC., a leading creator and distributor of digital content, and Viacom Inc., the parent company of the Nickelodeon brand, have today, Monday 9th June 2014, announced in the following press release, from Globe Newswire via Yahoo! Finance Canada, that DEFY has acquired Viacom's gaming focused digital properties Nickelodeon Addicting Games, Spike's GameTrailers and NickMom Shockwave, extending the company's portfolio of digital properties and further strengthening its reach to 13-34 year old consumers. In consideration for the digital properties, Viacom will receive a minority interest in DEFY (formed by the Alloy Digital and Break Media "merger of equals"). The two companies have also entered into marketing and content syndication agreements that will draw on their respective scale and expertise in developing and distributing entertainment to influential audiences. Additionally, a representative from Viacom will join the DEFY Media board. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Original DEFY Media, LLC. Press Release:

DEFY Media Extends Advertising and Content Offerings With Acquisition of Viacom Digital Gaming Assets

Viacom Takes a Minority Stake in DEFY and Enters Into Marketing and Content Syndication Agreement to Leverage DEFY's Digital Media Leadership with Young Audiences

NEW YORK, June 9, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DEFY Media, LLC. (DEFY), a leading creator and distributor of digital content, and Viacom Inc. (VIAB) (VIA) today announced that DEFY has acquired Viacom's gaming focused digital properties Addicting Games, GameTrailers and Shockwave, extending the Company's portfolio of digital properties and further strengthening its reach to 13-34 year old consumers. In consideration for the digital properties, Viacom will receive a minority interest in DEFY (formed by the Alloy Digital and Break Media "merger of equals"). The two companies have also entered into marketing and content syndication agreements that will draw on their respective scale and expertise in developing and distributing entertainment to influential audiences.

The addition of Viacom's digital gaming properties significantly expands and deepens DEFY's gaming and entertainment portfolio, which now includes GameTrailers, SMOSH Games, ranked among YouTube's fastest growing channels ever, award-winning The Escapist, and Gamefront, along with other digital properties and premium partners focused on the interests of gaming enthusiasts. The transaction adds new revenue streams for DEFY, including subscription based platforms, while also greatly expanding the Company's targeted offerings for advertisers.

"We formed DEFY with the belief that our infrastructure and brands represent the strongest platform in digital media for reach and scale to the 13-34 year old audience and with Viacom's partnership we now have additional assets and support to fulfill that vision," commented Matthew Diamond, CEO of DEFY Media. "These outstanding brands represent meaningful and diverse revenue opportunities we aim to expand across our existing brand portfolio."

The transaction is the latest move in expanding DEFY's online reach and further diversifies a brand portfolio that already includes Break, SMOSH, AWEme, Clevver, The Gloss, Made Man and Screen Junkies. In total, the company's owned and operated reach now exceeds 155 million monthly unique viewers watching more than 400 million monthly videos monthly. The DEFY Media brands attract 40 million YouTube subscribers and 55 million followers on social media (both up 40% since the merger), and they recently crossed the 10 million mark in downloads of video viewing mobile apps.

DEFY Media's content ownership model and sophisticated distribution capabilities make the company a logical partner for Viacom, which will benefit from DEFY's targeted digital brands for young audiences. The investment in DEFY Media allows Viacom to benefit from the company's substantial reach and also tap into unique content and marketing opportunities with the company's top digital talent and personalities.

Viacom joins existing DEFY Media investors that include ZelnickMedia, Lionsgate (LGF), and ABS Capital. A representative from Viacom will join the DEFY Media board.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Viacom

Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form video, apps, games, consumer products, social media and other entertainment content for audiences in more than 160 countries and territories. Viacom's media networks, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, TV Land, SPIKE, Tr3s, Paramount Channel and VIVA, reach approximately 700 million households worldwide. Paramount Pictures, America's oldest film studio, is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.
For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

About DEFY Media

DEFY Media is the definitive media company for the digital generation, formed by the 2013 merger of Alloy Digital and Break Media. The merger united two companies with strong legacies and expertise in creating influential and culturally significant entertainment properties for 12-34 year old consumers. DEFY Media creates some of the most popular content in digital under its leading portfolio of brands, including Break, Clevver, Made Man, SMOSH, Screen Junkies, The Gloss, and The Escapist, together reaching over 155 million consumers monthly through owned web, YouTube, mobile, social, and emerging OTT platforms. The world's top brands partner with DEFY to build immersive advertising solutions that deliver unparalleled access to this influential audience. With uniquely integrated capabilities in content development, studio production, distribution and promotion, DEFY Media is built for content delivery in the digital age. Please visit us at www.DEFYMedia.com.

Contact:

Media Contacts:

For DEFY Media:

Jodi Smith
[...]
212-329-8359

or

Laura Klang-Glienna
[...]
310.360.4141 Ext. 363

For Viacom:

Jeremy Zweig
[...]
212-846-7503

###

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Nickelodeon USA To Premiere New "Terry the Tomboy" Movie On Saturday 21st June 2014

The official website of the entertainment industry newspaper Variety is reporting the exciting Nickelodeon news in the following article that Nick USA will premiere the brand-new television movie "Terry the Tomboy", starring Lia Marie Johnson, on Saturday 21st June 2014. UPDATE: Nick has announced in their press release announcing the news, below, that Nickelodeon USA will debut the movie at 8:00pm (ET/PT)!

"Terry the Tomboy" is a all-new TV film based on Lia Marie Johnson's "AwesomenessTV" sketch character of the same name. "Terry the Tomboy" follows a 15-year-old tomboy (Johnson) who has a video blog that covers dirt, power tools, bacon and other assorted processed salty meat products. The movie will feature Terry dealing with her first crush.

Wade Randolph wrote and directed the film, which was filmed in Los Angeles. The film is produced by Shauna Phelan and executive produced by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola.

Fans can follow the latest discussion about "Terry the Tomboy" on social media using the custom hashtag #TerryonNick.

According to IMDb, the current full cast of Nickelodeon's "Terry the Tomboy" movie is:

Kelsy Abbott as Mother
Eric Acosta as Father
Noland Ammon as Duncanty
Christopher Bones as Brian
Jennifer Elise Cox as Unfathomable Aunt Peyton
Charlie DePew as Brett
Tiffany Espensen as Wallaine Rapkin
John Michael Higgins as Doctor Larry
Brian Huskey as Mayor Destero
Lia Marie Johnson as Terry
Alex Kavutskiy as Dart Toss Guy
Willy Roberts as Caricature Artist
Brandon Soo Hoo as Napkin Rapkin
Audrey Whitby as Britannica



From Variety.com:

Nickelodeon Sets AwesomenessTV's 'Terry the Tomboy' as TV Movie

Nickelodeon is looking to bring more of AwesomenessTV's youthful sizzle to its air with a TV movie based on the “Terry the Tomboy” character played by Lia Marie Johnson.

Nickelodeon's deal with Awesomeness underscores how traditional TV outlets and Internet hot shots are increasingly finding common ground on projects. Awesomeness, a unit of DreamWorks Animation, has produced a weekly sketch comedy series for Nickelodeon that featured the Terry the Tomboy character. The telepic is set to air June 21.

Nickelodeon's pact with Awesomeness underscores how much traction the multichannel digital network has with the demo that Nickelodeon and Disney Channel used to thoroughly dominate. Awesomeness, meanwhile, has gained invaluable exposure for a highly marketable property through Nickelodeon's broad reach in TV.

"Terry the Tomboy embraces one of Nickelodeon's many hilarious characters that has experienced enormous popularity on our air and online," said Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon's prexy [President] of content development and production. "Our audience will soon see a new side to Terry's offbeat world where she must decide between being true to herself – or changing to obtain acceptance from others."

Pic features the title character dealing with her first crush. Johnson stars with a mix of established thesps and AwesomenessTV players: Charlie Depew, Noland Ammon and Audrey Whitby. Awesomeness topper Brian Robbins exec produces with Joe Davola and Shauna Phelan. Wade Randloph ("Rick and Morty") penned the script.

Attracted by Awesomeness' roster of kid- and family-friendly properties, DWA acquired the company last year for $33 million.

FILED UNDER: AwesomenessTV, Lia Marie Johnson, Nickelodeon

Below is Nickelodeon's official Press Release, from Nickelodeon's Kids and Family Press Site, NickPress.com:

NICKELODEON TO FEATURE AWESOMENESSTV'S BELOVED CHARACTER TERRY THE TOMBOY IN HER FIRST TELEVISION MOVIE, SATURDAY, JUNE 21, AT 8P.M. (ET/PT)

Pictured: Terry (Lia Marie Johnson), Brett and Brittanica (Audrey Whitby) in TERRY THE TOMBOY on Nickelodeon. Photo: © Awesomeness LLC, 2014

Santa Monica, Calif. – June 9, 2014 – Internet star Lia Marie Johnson, whose beloved character Terry the Tomboy on AwesomenessTV helped to skyrocket her to fame, will be featured in her first-ever TV movie as the title role on Nickelodeon premiering Saturday, June 21, at 8p.m (ET/PT). Terry the Tomboy centers around a confident, bacon-loving and shower-deficient tomboy whose summer goal is to win the county fair pie-eating contest. After meeting her new neighbor Brett (Charlie Depew, The Amazing Spiderman), she isn't so interested in pie anymore and realizes the worst thing has happened -- she's a tomboy who has fallen in love.

Lia Marie Johnson is one of the biggest teen talents on YouTube with nearly 900,000 subscribers and over 47 million views. She became a YouTube star by creating fun characters and crafting hilarious sketch comedy bits. In addition to her work with AwesomenessTV, Lia starred in the Emmy-winning web series Kids React, Teens React and YouTubers React.

"Terry the Tomboy embraces one of Nickelodeon's many hilarious characters that has experienced enormous popularity on our air and online," said Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon's President of Content Development and Production. "Our audience will soon see a new side to Terry's offbeat world where she must decide between being true to herself – or changing to obtain acceptance from others."

In Terry the Tomboy, a visit to the doctor confirms that the worst has happened: Terry is crushing on her new neighbor Brett. With help from her best friend and not-so-secret admirer, Duncanty (Noland Ammon, AwesomenessTV), Terry attempts to overcome her unfortunate condition. When she realizes girly-girl Brittanica (Audrey Whitby, AwesomenessTV and The Thundermans) is vying for Brett's attention, Terry needs to make a decision. Will she comb her hair and grow up or be herself and chow down at the county fair?

Fans can log on to www.nick.com/tomboy for an all-access behind-the-scenes look at Terry the Tomboy including photos from the set, bloopers and exclusive sneak peeks of the movie. In addition, viewers can watch Terry's special online video "Guide to Watching My Movie!" to prepare for Terry's hilarious adventure.

Terry the Tomboy is executive produced by Brian Robbins (All That, Kenan & Kel, The Amanda Show and FRED), Joe Davola (One Tree Hill, Smallville and What I Like About You) and Shauna Phelan (AwesomenessTV, Side Effects and Supah Ninjas), and written and directed by Wade Randolph (Web Soup, The Comment Show and Rick and Morty).

About AwesomenessTV

AwesomenessTV, a leading multi-platform media company serving the global teen audience and one of the most subscribed to teen destinations on YouTube, is a wholly owned subsidiary of DreamWorks Animation (Nasdaq: DWA). Included under the AwesomenessTV banner are AwesomenessTV, a channel featuring scripted and reality series and ATV Network, a community based MCN focused on discovering and supporting the next generation of YouTube stars. Beyond the YouTube platform AwesomenessTV produced and distributed the feature film Mindless Behavior: All Around The World and its first TV series, AwesomenessTV, for Nickelodeon.

AwesomenessTV is headed by Brian Robbins (Smallville, Varsity Blues, All That) and Joe Davola (In Living Color, Smallville, MTV Networks).

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 19 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).

Contacts:

Jessica Wilson
Nickelodeon/Santa Monica
310-752-8213
[...]

George Cabico
Nickelodeon/Santa Monica
310-752-8644
[...]

###

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Midco Toys Announces UK Release Date For Retro "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Action Figure Collection; Available To Pre-Order Now

ToyNews, a monthly trade magazine for the toy business, and the toy news website The ToyArk are reporting the Booyakasha TMNT news that the UK-based award winning independent toy shop Midco Toy Planet has announced that UK "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" fans can now place pre-orders for an exclusive range of retro "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" action figures from Midco Toys' official eBay store, Epic Toys!

Midco Toys has partnered with Flair to exclusively release the special series of four-inch Classic Collection ("Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles") action figures in the UK. The collection will include Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo, as well as Splinter and Shredder.

Launching on Monday 30th June 2014, each reissued figure will be available to buy individually for £12.99, with a set of six retailing at £59.99 (offering a saving of over 20 per cent; prices shown are in GBP).

Customers in Derby or Burton can also visit either Toy Planet or Midco Toys to reserve their sets.

Each figure is based on the original 1988 release, using the original Playmates moulds for authenticity. Each figure also comes with their core Ninja weapons and an extra weapons rack.

Details on ordering outside of Europe will be made available as the launch date approaches.

From The ToyArk:

UK Launch Date for TMNT Retro Figures

Midco Toys has sent along a press release. They are the official, and exclusive, carrier of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Retro Collection in the UK. these are the reissues of the classic 80′s TMNT figures. The Midco Toys Ebay store, Epic Toys, has the figures for pre-order now! You can pre-order them by Clicking Here.

The figures sell for £12.99 each, the set of six figures for just £59.99. The figures are expected to launch on June 30th. Details on ordering outside of Europe will be made available as the launch date approaches. Read on to check out the press release.

RETRO TURTLES ACTION FIGURES NOW AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER

Midco Toys Exclusive Range of Action Figures to be Released on June 30th 2014

Fans of all ages can now place pre-orders for their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Retro action figures and guarantee getting a set. The Midco Toys eBay store, Epic Toys, is the place to go online to pre-order. Each figure is available individually for £12.99, with the set of six figures available for just £59.99 (a saving of over 20%).

Ebay Link.

Customers in Derby or Burton can visit either Toy Planet or Midco Toys to reserve their sets.

Midco Toys has partnered with Flair to exclusively release a special series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4" Classic Collection action figures in the UK. The range will include Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo along with Splinter and Shredder. Each figure is based on the original 1988 release, using the original Playmates moulds for totally radical authenticity. Each figure comes with their core Ninja weapons and an extra weapons rack.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4" Classic Collection perfectly complements the mix of products sold at Midco Toys, with its dual appeal of collector-friendly nostalgia and being a hot property with children. The 4" Classic Collection will form the centrepiece in a full range of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles products, including action figures, play sets, role play, creative and electronic toys.

Also, from ToyNews:

Retro Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures available for pre-order at Midco Toys

Exclusive range of action figures will launch on June 30th.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans can now place pre-orders for an exclusive range of retro action figures from Midco Toys' eBay store.

Launching on June 30th, each figure will be available individually for £12.99, with a set of six retailing at £59.99 (offering a saving of over 20 per cent).

Customers in Derby or Burton can also visit either Toy Planet or Midco Toys to reserve their sets.

Midco Toys has partnered with Flair to exclusively release the special series of four-inch Classic Collection action figures in the UK. The collection will include Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo, as well as Splinter and Shredder.

Each figure is based on the original 1988 release, using the original Playmates moulds for authenticity. Each figure also comes with their core Ninja weapons and an extra weapons rack.

TAGS teenage mutant ninja turtles, midco toys

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Ubisoft Set To Make Nickelodeon's "Rabbids Invasion" Interactive

The official website of the entertainment industry newspaper Variety, Variety.com, is reporting the exciting news in the following article that Ubisoft are planning to make Nickelodeon and Ubisoft's popular CG-animated series "Rabbids Invasion" interactive!

As Ubisoft Motion Pictures', the movie and TV arm of the French video game producer, moves forward with brand-new episodes for "Rabbids Invasion" season two, 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", based on Ubisoft's popular "Raving Rabbids" video game franchise, and will re-release them with mini-games added to the same scenes in November 2014.

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 will be more than 400 activities.

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 bug-eyed characters or shout their signature "bwaah!" catchphrase at them through the Kinect's voice controls.

The "Rabbids Invasion" game utilizes the Kinect motion sensor on Microsoft's Xbox One and Xbox 360 videogame consoles and the camera on the PlayStation 4.

Ubisoft initially introduced the "Rabbids Invasion" game at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2013, a annual trade fair for the computer and video games industry, 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 Nickelodeon Preschools "Dora the Explorer" and watched how the character asked viewers to point at different items on the screen.

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.

Should the "Rabbids Invasion" game become a hit, other children's television producers could easily give their shows the same treatment and monetize the content in a similar fashion.

First introduced in 2006, Ubisoft's "Raving Rabbids" have 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" is also 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 a second season for Nickelodeon, co-produced with France Télévisions, Ubisoft is also developing a full-length animated movie at Sony set to star the Rabbids:

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

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