Syfy, the specialty channel with the silly name, is jumping into the social gaming milieu with a series of games that will launch later this year on Facebook.
Syfy, which I’m pretty sure is still pronounced “sci-fi,” plans to launch a series of social games in the science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, action-adventure and superhero genres which will debut on Facebook and then branch out to other social networks later. Launching under the Syfy Games label, some of the new games will be based on existing Syfy programming while others will be entirely original.
This won’t actually be Syfy’s first venture into gaming. The network has previously partnered with Bigpoint Games to create a Battlestar Galactica MMO and with Trion Worlds for an untitled “Syfy Action MMO.” It’s also working with THQ on a two-hour television movie based on the Red Faction series called Red Faction: Origins.
“By providing our fans on social networks and other platforms with a distinctive, premium gaming experience, we are creating a perfect complement to our existing Syfy Games portfolio,” said Syfy President Dave Howe.
Syfy said research indicates that the worldwide market for social games will hit $6.1 billion in 2011 and $12.1 billion by 2014. No word on what its first release will be but I’m crossing my fingers for voice acting appearances by Marc Singer and Michael Paré.
Source: Broadcasting & Cable, via Gamasutra
