sci-fi-channel posts

A couple of years ago, Trion World Networks announced they would be making an MMO in collaboration with the Sci-Fi TV cable channel where the game would be linked to a TV series on that network. Today Trion World Networks is called Trion Worlds and Sci-Fi has been rebranded as Syfy. However the game-TV series project is still alive and today Trion Worlds gave out a little more info on the game.

The title is being described as an third person action-MMO title "with visceral gun play. Both the game and the TV show will share "characters, alien races, organizations, environments, technologies, and more." Events in the TV show will influence the game and vice-versa. Some concept artwork for the game can be seen at Trion World's web site but there's no word yet on when the game or the TV show will launch.

Oh boy. Can you say, "Worst decision ever?" Maybe. This week the Sci Fi Channel cable TV network announced that it would be calling itself SyFy beginning on July 7. The rebranding of the network was made in part because the network's owners, Universal, could not trademark the Sci Fi name. Still, SyFy? It sounds the same on the lips but it just looks . . . silly

Variety reports that the new SyFy plans to branch out into more than just its TV network including SyFy Games. The article states that it has a new deal with free-to-play MMO publisher Acclaim to create two games a year for SyFy Games which might be turned into TV series later. There's no word on the status of the previously announced deal with Trion World Networks to collaborate with the network on an MMO-TV series combo.

The Trion World Network has continued to keep details about its first game projects under a deep curtain for the most part but today the MMO based company revealed two new hires for their previously announced game-TV show collaboration with the Sci-Fi Channel. Former Blizzard team member Kevin Beardslee joins Trion as the Senior Development Director for the unnamed game. Beardslee was a "key member" of the World of Warcraft team and most recently worked at NCsoft's Carbine Studios on their unnamed MMO.

In addition, Trion and Sci-Fi have hired veteran TV scriptwriter Peter Egan to write the pilot episode of the joint venture. Egan's credits include the Sci-Fi Channel's own TV series The Dresden Files along with other shows like Medium, Over There and Playmakers.

[Via email press release]

Remember that old TV show on G4 called Arena where a bunch of gamers battled each other in various titles? Also, remember how horrible it was? Well get ready for its next incarnation in GameQuest. Variety is reporting that the Sci-Fi Channel has ordered eight episodes of the series which will debut this spring on the cable network.

The show is co-produced by the World Cyber Games pro gaming organization and will feature 12 contestants that will not only battle via multiplayer gaming but also in physical challenges inspired by the games they are playing. There's no word yet on which games will by used. Let's just hope Arena host Lee Reherman isn't available for similar duties this time round.

For two years the semi-mysterious online gaming company Trion World Network has been in existence with claims of trying to revolutionize gaming with a server based service that allows just art assets to be downloaded by the player. Trion's servers do the rest which means the games should be nearly impossible to pirate. Last June the company teased us with a little info on the games they are working on; a fantasy MMO and a project with the Sci-Fi Channel that will combine an online game with a TV show.

We've been waiting for more than just teases from the company and, well, we will have to wait some more. As reported by our sister site Joystiq, Trion has announced today it has secured another $70 million in funding, bringing its total cash amount to over $100 million. That sounds nice and all but when are we going to get some concrete info about the games. While Joystiq's story states that will come in the next press release from Trion we have no idea when that might happen.

Our sister-site Massively recently got to chat with the president of Trion World, Jon Van Caneghem. If the company and the name don't ring a bell, let us give you a quick overview. Jon Van Caneghem is the original creator of the Might and Magic seres and co-founder of Trion World. The company recently announced a partnership with the Sci-Fi channel that will see them developing and publishing an MMO that will live alongside an upcoming show on the network. Which is a concept that we think is incredibly cool, if they can pull it off.

If you happen to think similarly to us, then it's well worth your time to check out the interview with Caneghem about all things past, present and future for him and his company.

Your daily wrap-up of the hottest stories in PC gaming in the last 24 hours.

	Spore tribe phase trailer released Another week, another new trailer from Spore Maxis and EA's upcoming evolution simulator. This newest trailer demonstrates the game's tribe phase, explained courtesy of narrators Lauren McHugh and Alex Kerfoot, two software engineers who have been hard at work on the game.
	Shipping this week: Truckload of fun This week for PC releases the truck has come to town. With titles like Race Driver: GRID and Lego Indiana Jones hitting stores, there's something for everyone. Launching along side their console versions, GRID and Lego Indy are just two of the handful of releases hitting this week.
	Sword of the Stars: Born of Blood 1.5.2 patch released A new update for Lighthouse Interactive's Sword of the Stars: Born of Blood was released today, bringing the game up to version 1.5.2. Notable enhancements, balance tweaks, and new additions include the ability to play user-created maps in multiplayer games, a few A.I. enhancements, and the ability to view encounters even if you have other combats queued.
	New Fallout 3 screenshots show off more post-apocalyptic action It's no secret that one of our most highly anticipated games of 2008 is Fallout 3. Bethesda Softworks' revamp of the original Interplay post-apocalypse RPG series. Today some new screenshots of the game popped up on the Internet showing off more of the game that's due in stores this fall.
	New Alpha Protocol screenshots come in from the cold We love James Bond movies; we really do. But few of the James Bond games made over the years have really given us the full experience of being a glamorous super-spy. The upcoming action-RPG Alpha Protocol is aiming to do just that and today it's publisher Sega released some new screenshots from the title.

Sci-Fi channel and SCIFI.com launched their FIDGIT gaming site according to a press release Big Download received via email earlier today. Aimed at the broader, general gaming audience, FIDGIT will produce content written with a hardcore gaming attitude, but will be aimed at those who don't necessarily dedicate the majority of each and every day to gaming.

Tom Chick, who has been writing for a variety of gaming sites and publications for several years, has been appointed FIDGIT's content editor. The site's content will span a variety of casual topics, but will also cater to specialized subjects such as market trends, careers in the industry, and game development analysis.

"We're thrilled to have Tom working on FIDGIT, which is the next step in expanding the SCI FI brand into content areas that we know our users are excited about and where we see significant advertising potential," said Craig Engler, Senior VP of SCIFI.com and SCI FI Magazine.

In order to intimately involve its readership, FIDGIT will allow its readers to submit a variety of pictures, including in-game screenshots of their victories and defeats, as well player profile photos and game-related costumes.