Starz Boosts Digital Extensions for Spartacus

ENGLEWOOD: Starz Digital Media is launching its first social game, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, and iPad multimedia script app for the Spartacus original series.

The social game is free to play via Facebook. The Beta version will be opened up January 6 to the first 10,000 Spartacus fans who register on the social networking site. A full public launch is planned for January 20, ahead of the exclusive January 21 debut of Spartacus: Gods of the Arena on Starz. The social game was developed with 6waves.

"Given its powerful characters and larger-than-life story lines, few television properties have as much potential for innovative social game play as does Spartacus," said Marc DeBevoise, the senior VP of digital media, business development and strategy for Starz Media. "We are excited to make our social media gaming debut and be one of the early networks to bring a branded TV property to the social gaming universe."

"Starz designed the Spartacus: Gods of the Arena game for current and prospective Spartacus fans and expect a great response," DeBevoise continued. 

"We are very pleased that gaming publisher 6waves, distributor of many popular social games shares our enthusiasm for the project and has agreed to help launch the property. There is tremendous anticipation for the return of the Spartacus series this January, and we believe gamers and fans alike will seek to immerse themselves in the unique social gaming concept and try to become the next Batiatus."   

The new Spartacus iPad app is scheduled to launch January 17 in the iTunes Starz storefront. The app is free to download for iPad users, with the first episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand included as part of the download. The first iPad electronic script for Spartacus: Gods of the Arena will be rolled out as a free update to Spartacus iPad script users on January 22.

"Building on our success with the iPad to complement and promote our original series was a logical progression after our successful Pillars app earlier this year," commented DeBevoise. "This application will be a true must-have for Spartacus fans with collectors loving the scripts from the series and the seamless integration of the stunning video imagery and enlightening historical background information."