With the exception of .hack//Sign there hasn’t really been a great television to video game crossover series before. The idea has been around for a while; create a game or TV show that acts as an anchor for the other. In the case of Defiance it appears as though the SYFY TV show will act as an anchor for the game, meaning whatever happens in the show will be reflected by the game. It’s a pretty cool idea if both the show and the game are engaging enough to draw in the viewer/player, I’d be pretty psyched to see something happen in a show only to go and play through some of the repercussions in my game. Hopefully Defiance will be able to execute its plan to turn these two mediums into one complete experience.
Normally I’m not a fan of trailers like this; snippets of gameplay footage with music aren’t always the best way to let me know as a potential consumer whether or not I should get the game. However this time there’s a TV show as well to market for and I’m betting that the show is going to get most of the attention when it comes to marketing. As you can see, the trailer for the TV show is pretty much the same with a bit more dialogue thrown-in.
So which is it, a TV show with a game made to compliment it or vice versa? I’m thinking that the show came first and the game is a bonus for anyone who likes the series or is just really into the game. I doubt people who like the show will run out and buy the game, but it may encourage those who buy the game to also watch the show. Either way I’m interested to see how well the game and the show are received or to see what happens if the show does well and the game flops. Regardless it’s an interesting concept to watch and see unfold.