Dec 23, 2020 18:00 EST
After experiments such as Netflix s interactive shows, of which Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is arguably the most famous example, there s a new project called Rival Peak that s exploring a different side of the intersection between games and television.
Described by its makers as a Massive Interactive Live Experience , Rival Peak is a reality show that started airing on Facebook earlier this month where viewers can choose to interact in various ways, chiefly picking who will get eliminated.
So far, it probably sounds familiar. Only this is all created by the Unity engine and features AI contestants, not actual persons. Those are running on a persistent simulation developed by Pipeworks Studios, an Oregon-based game developer that was acquired earlier this year by Sumo Digital.