SCI FI Greenlights Granada-Produced Video-Game Competition

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK,
October 30: SCI FI Channel has given the go-ahead to the tentatively titled WCG GameQuest, a reality competition,
produced by Granada America, in which video gamers face off in a series of
challenges.

The eight-episode
elimination-style show pits 12 contestants against each other in battle to be
the "Best All-Around Gamer" in the U.S. It will include top video
game titles as well as physical challenges that bring the games to life. The
ultimate winner takes home $100,000 and secures trips to future World Cyber
Games (WCG) events across the globe. Samsung Electronics, the official
worldwide partner for the World Cyber Games, is also the official series
production partner. The format was created by Michael
Agbabian and Dwight D. Smith, who will executive produce. Shot on
location in Los Angeles, GameQuest is
slated to premiere on SCI FI in the first quarter of 2009.

"With two out of
every three American households playing video games, it's clear that this
mainstream phenomenon is a perfect arena for the channel's agenda of broadening
the brand while celebrating imagination," said Dave Howe, SCI FI Channel’s
president. "The colorful and eclectic group of men and women competitors
will simultaneously fit and completely shake up the ultimate gamer stereotype.
We are thrilled to be partnering with WCG and Samsung for this fun and engaging
show."

Paul Buccieri, the
president and CEO of Granada America, added: "Michael and Dwight crafted
an imaginative and compelling format that combines the enormous popularity of
video gaming with the real drama of competition. Producing this as our first
project for SCI FI is especially gratifying."

—By Mansha Daswani