Activision Looks to iCarly For Some Tween Success
While the Lazy Town game we posted was an April Fool’s joke, the iCarly game that Activision announced today is founded in reality. Apparently, iCarly is a huge success for Nickelodeon on both the TV and on the web. In a strange sidebar, both my son and wife watch the show on a regular basis, which is another reason Activision has to be drooling over this game. It will probably crossover into several age groups.
For those unfamiliar with the show, iCarly stars Carly and Sam along wtih their next door neighbor Freddie and Carly’s brother, Spencer, as they create or co-star in the hit webshow in a show, iCarly.com. Real kids from around the world send in zany tricks that they can do, and iCarly puts them on the webshow. It is a strange concept, but with 25 million viewers a week, the formula seems to work.
iCarly the game will ship on the Wii this fall and will have players attempting to put on successful shows while avoiding pitfalls that could kill the production of the show. Check the jump for the full press release.
ACTIVISION PUBLISHING PARTNERS WITH NICKELODEON
ON GLOBAL LICENSING DEAL AROUND NETWORK’S HIT TV SERIES iCARLY
SANTA MONICA, CA – May 13, 2009 – Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and Nickelodeon today announced a global partnership where the two companies will create an all-new videogame based on the number-one live-action kids’ television show iCarly. Releasing internationally this Fall, the videogame will bring the interactive elements from the series to WiiTM and Nintendo DSTM for the first time.
“iCarly is a groundbreaking show that encourages viewers to contribute content of their own,” said David Oxford, Activision Publishing. “This game is a natural extension of that creativity, and allows players to interact with the characters they know and love through a variety of different ways, any time they like.”
“In order to make a property as huge and irreverent as iCarly into a videogame, we tapped into the interactive model of the show itself,” said Steve Youngwood, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. “iCarly’s entire premise is to allow kids and tweens to actively participate in their entertainment experience, and Activision is doing a phenomenal job in recreating that for WiiTM and Nintendo DSTM systems.”
In the iCarly videogame, the possibilities are truly endless as players help Carly, Sam, Freddie and the other characters from the hit TV series craft all-new webisodes of the show in an original storyline designed specifically for the game. Fun and frenetic mini-games, presented as show skits, capture the creativity of the series, and allow players to work with the characters through new adventures. The innovative iCreate mode provides opportunities for gamers to add their own touches to the webisodes by swapping out props, characters, color schemes, audio, intros, outros and more. Up to four players can either compete or cooperate together on Wii to complete the skits and earn Web-Cred, which can then be used to purchase new items, props, accessories and locations from in-game websites.
Nickelodeon’s iCarly, a web show within a show, is the number-one live-action program on all of broadcast and basic cable television with kids and tweens, and the top kid-targeted live action series on basic cable with total viewers. It averages nearly 26 million total viewers each week (source: Nielsen Media Research). The show’s companion website www.iCarly.com recently boasted its best month ever in March among total visits, visitors and page views (source: comScore Media Metrix March 2009).
For more information visit www.activision.com.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 30th 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, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 98 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 14 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. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE: VIA.B).
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to help identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms (including next-generation hardware), declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing’s products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, vendors and third-party developers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, Activision Blizzard’s success in integrating the operations of Activision Publishing and Vivendi Games in a timely manner, or at all, and the combined company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction to the extent, or in the timeframe, anticipated, and the other factors identified in Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
Tags: activision, carly, freddie, game, icarly, miranda cosgrove, nickelodeon, sam, spencer, successful, webshow
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Coming out on the Wii?? Goody! What a surprise!
I'm not going to lie. I've watched the show willingly before, but this would be far too excessive.
You know, I don't seem to recall the snarky “Oh, another kiddie game on Wii!” comment vibe back when the PS2 was king and received editions of every single kiddie game known on earth.
I can't say I remember how many kids games were on the PS2, if only because I did not own one until way late in the cycle (GTA: San Andreas). I think the reason you hear the “another kiddie game on the Wii” comments is because that is what the system is becoming known for in the eyes of people. Not that it can do innovative concepts, but the tons of shovelware that comes out for it.
With the PS2, there was an enormous amount of crap, but there was a ton of really good stuff to balance it out. Not so much on the Wii side of things.
I could not have said it better myself, Mr. Haygood. The Wii is FULL of kiddie games and shovelware, but the PS2 has an enormous lineup of stellar games. That's not to say the Wii doesn't have good games; it's ratio of good games to sucky games is just way off.
The PS1 and PS2 were cesspools for shovelware and kiddieware same as Wii. Because that's the perk of being the market leader. Publishers go where the sales are.
I have 51 PS1 games, 84 PS2 games, and 40 Wii games (NOT counting Virtual Console purchases!) 40 Wii games at around halfway through the cycle seems pretty much on target for matching the level of enjoyment I got out of my PS2. (In pure terms of amount of games bought anyway, which would preclude shovelware.)
Fair enough, but in my opinion, the Wii is definitely lacking in good games. The PS2 wasn't all about remakes, like the Wii has become with Resident Evil 4, Samba de Amigo, PunchOut!!, and the New Play Control games. I think the PS2's library greatly surpasses that of the Wii's library in quantity and quality.
Among your favorite PS2 games are probably several sequels or remakes.
There's nothing wrong with that. Hell, without more Halo games, there wouldn't even BE a 360.
The unique experiences for each system usually only attract a portion of the audience a AAA first party game might draw.
There are tons of bad games in the PS2 library. You don't know them because you don't own and ignored them.
This “Wii is 95% shovelware” crap is something coming from disgruntled, “core” gamers who are just pissed that their “superior” PS3's and 360's aren't selling like Wii. It's a bitter, selfish, bitchy thing to harp on.
Apparently, the idea of accepting that the Wii is a different beast and shouldn't be compared to the other major consoles in the traditional sense seems to cause fanboys and flamebaiters physical pain.
Bonsai Barber, fools.
600 stars.
Get. Ta'. Steppin'.
Who said anything about sequels? The Wii is just full of remakes, shovelware, and the occasional good game. The only reason I'd be upset with Nintendo's sales is that they don't deserve it as much. They've disappointed many hardcore fans (apparently not Stephen or Fourhman) by catering so much to the casual gamer, that they've completely ignored the hardcore gamer, which is the audience that resurrected the industry after it crashed. It just feels like they've forgotten all of us, and Sony and Microsoft (our new foster parents) had to take over. I don't see how you guys can back up the Wii so much but whatever; everyone has their opinions. I really hope they don't blow their E3 press conferences like last year, though.
Woo! You rock my socks, Tony!
Nintendo made a clear decision with the specs and default control system of Wii, and that was to do something different from the other platforms. The ongoing massive interest in Wii has resulted in a gold rush of crap games, this is true. However, if you look at the top rated Wii games on Metacritic, even the wiimakes are more than worth picking up for the core gamer. Mario Galaxy. Twilight Princess. World of Goo. Brawl. RE4 Wii. Okami. Prime 3. Little King's Story. Zack & Wiki. Bomberman Blast. Tetris Party. Maboshi (What's that?). Boom Blox. Super Paper Mario. No More Heroes. MadWorld. These are just the exclusives.
I own a DS, PSP, and backwards compatible PS3 as well, so I'm in no position to complain about lack of games to play, but even with just a Wii, roll in the multiplatform games and there are plenty of games to play.
Anyone who thinks of the games you've listed up there is just not picking up what the Wii is putting down. If you choose Samba de Amigo and New Play Control games to define the Wii library, you're just not looking hard enough.
I back Wii because it exists to make me happy. There's no dust on my console – I fire it up and play something almost nightly.
The other two systems are NOT for me. I've never been a fan of the games Microsoft's consoles are famous for, and the PS3, while far and way the one I'd own if I had to buy one, just isn't on my radar.
Nintendo's marching to a different beat, and it's working. As dumb as things get, I still feel more at home in Camp Nintendo right now than I would anywhere else.
And how do you define “hardcore” gamer?
Because I think Nintendo's pretty wise to be going after all gamers, perspective, current and former, rather than focusing on a segment of the audience. They can't make everyone happy, and don't really need to.
It just so happens that the “hardcore” gamer tends to be the kind who lives on these gaming websites and comments the loudest at all the perceived slights Nintendo keeps “assaulting” them with.
There are still people out there completely digging Wii Fit.
Think about that.
But what is it about the Wii that you like? I don't understand! From my perspective it just seems like the best first and third party support is going straight to the other two consoles. Anytime I see a Wii exclusive, save for the Marios and Zeldas, I think “Wow, this looks pretty good, but it would probably be a lot better on 360 or PS3.” This might change for me once Wii MotionPlus hits, but as for right now, games like MadWorld and The Conduit probably would be better on the other consoles.
What we like is good games, period. And from a company that more or less does right by us with reliable hardware, fan service, and a variety of exclusives. And you have to look pretty hard to find a first-party Nintendo release that is not well-reviewed from all quarters.
Nintendo went dry last fall, true enough. Not even Tony up there owns Animal Crossing. But this spring Nintendo backed up a couple of NPC re-releases with Excitebots and Punch-Out… so you can't bag on them for catering to the Wii Music crowd now.
We'll see what E3 brings. If it's nothing but Wii Fit 2 and another Fire Emblem for the rest of 09, THEN I'll buy into your “Nintendo has turned their back on us” argument. Nintendo delivered stellar installments in their four big franchises (Mario, Zelda, Smash, Kart) inside of TWO YEARS from launch. That's an insane show of fan support… especially since that makes it very likely we'll get sequels to some of those this gen, which is a rare treat. Any Nintendo fan who turns on the company after that is a complete asshole, I'm sorry.
How's MotionPlus going to make anything better for you? I could give a crap about waving the damn Remote around because it makes my arms tired. I want less motion control, not more.
Your last paragraph strikes me as odd, and kind of helps my point. Most Wii games that are any good don't need the Wii Remote, which is why I hate to see games like MadWorld, No More Heroes, and (possibly) The Conduit come out exclusively to Wii and limit their potential. When Wii MotionPlus hits, there will be a definite reason to pick up multiplatform titles on Wii.
For instance, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 with 1:1 control would be a more realistic experience. Rather than lining up your shot with analog sticks, you actually swing as if you were on the course, and the game reacts accordingly. Another Wii exclusive that looks like it will benefit from Wii MotionPlus is Red Steel 2. If the 1:1 sword fighting works well this game could be a must-have. If a game is going to be exclusive to Wii (mainly third parties) they should use the technology, instead of just limiting the scope of the game.
Multiplatform titles? Who cares about those on Wii? If it's multiplatform, you're going to want the PS3/360 version, depending on which community service you're invested in. Wii is for exclusives, period.
The key is to not overdo the motion controls. No More Heroes does a great job at this… the motion controls make sense and are subtle enough that they don't kill your arms.
Madworld overdoes it a bit, but it still has a great look and great voiceovers… and why can't the Wii get exclusive games like that? Just because you'd rather see Madworld in HD?
I am not excited about 1:1 swordfighting because it will lead to necessarily short playtimes so your arms don't fall off.
And if I wanted 1:1 realistic golf, I'd go play golf.
Motion control is not the only reason to own a Wii or to make Wii games. There's also Miis, first party Nintendo stuff, DS interaction, Remote-as-pointer, cheaper price point on hardware and games, vast library of downloadable games, speaker-in-Remote, and an easy to use Message Board with hardware that lights up when you get a message (why did nobody else think of that?)
If you're hanging the entire Wii experience on motion control and realistic graphics, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
There's also Miis
Yes, because the Miis serve such a great purpose. I don't even like avatars, but those are still a much better representation of who you are.
first party Nintendo stuff
I actually like these games, but even Nintendo isn't supporting their decision to base their system on motion control. Don't try to say that it's not based on motion control because if you look at their previous E3 press conferences, you will be proved wrong.
DS interaction
For like three games, and it's still not helpful/fun. Unless you mean downloading demos, which is still lame.
Remote-as-pointer
Okay?
cheaper price point on hardware and games
I'd rather pay more for a better overall experience. Just taking a quick look at metacritic, the Wii has about 48 games rated at 80 or above (remember, some of these are multiplatform), whereas the PS3 and 360 have 98 and 140 respectively. If all anyone cared about was the price point, we'd all live in trailers.
vast library of downloadable games
An even vaster library of downloadable games on the other consoles.
speaker-in-Remote
Never mind, you win. The horrible, trashcan-sounding quality of the Wii Remote's speaker definitely brings me to my knees in this argument. Fourhman! I expected better from you!
and an easy to use Message Board with hardware that lights up when you get a message
All of the other systems notify you when you receive a message. You can also reply and chat from them while remaining in your own games.
And, yet, I still have no interest in the other systems.
I like seeing my Mii pop up in games. Makes me happy.
First-party Nintendo games should pretty much just focus on being good games. I don't care how much waggle's in there. If it's a good game, I'll deal.
DS – don't care. But downloading demos/DLC and other crap for one would be a big deal to me, if I owned one.
Remote-as-pointer could be a neat gimmick, if used properly. Some games are toying with it, already. No reason to poo-poo something like this – there's potential.
Metacritic?! Show me the Venn diagram of Wii Owners v. Metacritic Frequenters. If you are the kind of person who feels the need to have their purchasing decisions validated by numbers, have teh fun. Also, you should own several dozen Wii games.
I'll continue to buy games for me, thanks. Many on WiiWare, in fact.
The kind of person who'd get into the use of the Wiimote speaker gets immersed in games in a completely different way than someone who mocks the idea. And not appreciating a feature isn't a valid reason to claim it isn't a feature worth having/using. It might even sway someone else to own a Wii or enjoy gaming on the Wii.
I like the message board, and the glowing blue light. Would I like chat? Sure, sometimes. But I don't care about online play, really. Most of my gaming is solo, or with a few friends who happen to be in the room. So, it'd probably just become kind of a distraction from the gaming. It's not something I NEED to enjoy my gaming experience.
The Wii is different. It's not rumbling with power. It's not tremendously expensive. It's pop culturally hip to own. It's accessible. There are plenty of games from which to choose, for all manner of gamers.
If you can't find something that appeals to you in the library, you're probably not meant to be a Wii owner. By all means, enjoy the other systems.
I kind of want PunchOut!!, by the way. I liked the other two. Bet it's good.
Some of those features, like the Miis and Wii Remote speaker, just make you guys sound desperate to find “good” features of the Wii. The Miis are shallow and serve absolutely no purpose. And don't even try to tell me that the speaker immerses you. That's bull shit. I have a Wii, I've heard the speaker, and it's a piece of junk.
Also, why is it against the law to state how many positively reviewed games are on each system. I don't use it to validate my purchases, but numerous praises from critics in the industry isn't something to scoff at. If you were on my side of the argument, you'd probably agree with me. Since you are backing the Wii you resorted to a “Metacritic doesn't count” statement. Wouldn't you consider most of the games you own to typically be high-rated? I thought so.
So what specific games make you want to own the Wii over the other systems? The only game that has wowed me is Super Mario Galaxy. On the other systems, however, I can list off several titles: Call of Duty 4, Halo 3, BioShock, Ratchet & Clank Future, Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, LittleBigPlanet, Resident Evil 5, Fallout 3, Uncharted, Killzone 2, Gears of War, Left 4 Dead, and the list goes on.
This is insanely stupid. Let's move this to the forums.
iCarly is the number 1 rated regular sitcom TV show for kids. I wouldn't call that apparently, I would call that definitely a success.
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