Brian Bendis
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PlayStation Network's first original TV show is an adaptation of the 'Powers' comics
Sony executives have revealed the company's first entry into original content for the PlayStation, a TV show based on the Powers series of comics. Sony Pictures Television is producing the show, made up of ten one-hour episodes focusing on a detective who investigates cases involving people with superhuman abilities. Sony's push for original PlayStation Network-exclusive video content is moving forward alongside its planned internet TV service, and will have competition from Xbox that includes a Steven Spielberg-produced series based on the Halo games. So far, Sony hasn't said if there will be an extra charge to watch the show or if it will be included with the PlayStation Plus package somehow, but its PSN exclusivity only applies in the US -- internationally Sony Pictures will license it to networks just like Breaking Bad or Justified. The Hollywood Reporter mentions Powers has been under development for FX since 2011 when a pilot starring Jason Patric wasn't picked up, and attempts at adapting the source material for TV or movies have been under way for more than a decade. Unlike Microsoft's Halo project, we know some of the names attached to this show, at least behind the camera. Writer Charlie Huston has been working on the project with series creator Brian Michael Bendis and producers include several names attached to the Circle of Confusion company along with Bendis and co-creator Michael Avon Oeming. In previous videogame generations console exclusives consisted of games and occasionally services, but it looks like Sony and Microsoft's next battleground is the one already occupied by internet video streamers like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.
Marvel Universe Online will be free-to-play, penned by Bendis
Move over, Batman: After a few false starts, Marvel's finally poised to become the next big MMO superhero thing. Thursday evening, I attended Gazillion Entertainment and Marvel's live San Francisco reveal of Marvel Universe Online's head writer, the jovial Brian Michael Bendis. Joining Brian for a lively Q&A panel were Gazillion President and COO David Brevik, VP and Studio Head for Secret Identity (fka Gargantuan) Jeff Lind, and VP of Games at Marvel TQ Jefferson. Brian's involvement in the game's story wasn't the only announcement the panelists had in store for attendees -- they almost casually confessed that players will slip into the spandex of iconic Marvel characters and that the game will be free-to-play, making it perhaps the first Western triple-A title to be designed for such a model from the ground up. Because I knew you'd be disappointed if I didn't, I dutifully asked an amused Jeff Lind about PvP, housing, crafting, voice acting, character customization, travel powers, advancement, and all those other goodies, but as you can probably guess, the devs aren't in a position to talk about sweeping systems just yet -- they want to "retain the ability to change [their] minds." So manage thy expectations accordingly! Fortunately, both Jeff and Brian were willing to chat about story, tie-ins, and MUO's niche in an increasingly crowded superhero MMO field, so hit the break for their thoughts and my round-up of the hot topics from the panel.
