Hither Come Cartooniverses ! Cartoon Network Is Prompt Beyond TV
Since the early’90s , Cartoon Network has been a mainstay of line TV—and in that time get a trove of iconic reference . From early staples like The Powerpuff Girls toAdventure Time‘s Jake and Finn , the company has make a literal * ahem * cartoon network . But networks cost n’t what they utilize to cost , hence Cartoon Network is moving beyond the humble cover … to an yet smaller one .
Through its artist incubator Cartoon Network Studios , the company launches its first original mobile game today . * fine K.O. ! Lakewood Plaza Turbo * has a CN ancestry ( it exist develop bySteven Universe ’ secIan Jones-Quartey and coproduced withRegular Showstoryboard artist Toby Jones ) and sound like exactly what you ‘d await from the network : kid superheroes , robo-villains , colorful scenery , and a movie at evil superstores trying to destroy small occupation for the good guy . But the game make up much more than simply CN bringing its sensibility to mobile gambling .
fine K.O .sign a important shift for Cartoon Network : it ‘s the first time the network get opened a new universe of characters outside of its TV shows . And it ‘s the beginning of a new strategy for the party . “ We ‘re no longer exactly about produce TV series , we ‘re in truth about creating animated universe , ” Rob Sorcher , Cartoon Network ‘s chief content officer , say . “ And then we want the ability to unfold those [ worlds ] onto any program — -and finally all program . ”
fine K.O . ‘shistory take off a lot like those of other Cartoon Network characters . Jones-Quartey developed the universe of * Lakewood Plaza Turbo * as a pilot short that live part of Cartoon Network Studios ‘ story artist curriculum . The program , Sorcher says , much have cost a pathway for the evolution of TV series in the past—but this time , or else of developing a show base on K.O . and his friends , Cartoon Networks determine to expend the Lakewood Plaza universe as an opportunity to sample something new .
“ OK K.O . is part of a cooperative effort to reinvent our process of contented creation , ” Sorcher suppose . “ It ‘s the prospect of a youthful emerging audience that quality and worlds are thither to be engaged with , commented on , build up upon , contribute to , and interacted with . The globe is no longer linear to a young audience . So why would we proceed to create content that way ? ”
Sift through that marketing speak , and you get a accuracy that ‘s undeniable . Lines between display , game , and recess make-believe exist falling by the wayside . Whether franchises likeSkylandersandDisney Infinitythat bridge toys and game , or the cartoon expansion of the Star Wars franchise with shows likeStar Wars Rebels, the might of a consistent storytelling universe make emerged as an more and more popular narrative model—especially among child . ( Cartoon Network ‘s primary interview , not surprisingly , roam in age from 6 to 11 and skews heavily to young son . ) And characters are what serve an audience cross those line from medium to medium .
Introducing fresh characters via a game—and in doing so , privileging a universe over a single narrative—is new for the network , and it may intend an opportunity to experiment creatively without business pressure for now .
So couldfine K.O .one day cease up with its own TV series ? Certain , but that ‘s not the item . Instead of begin by crafting a TV display , Cartoon Network developed characters and possible narratives , while collaborating with animators as good as plot developers—with a focus on how those would meet out on a stove of digital program . “ When it ‘s ready to run through any medium , ” Sorcher say , “ it ‘s well prepared . ”
In the past being a TV network with popular shows exist enough , but entertainment caller no longer appear to believe that ‘s the type . Every network be trying to figure out how to invoke to young , digitally native viewers , and many are exploring how to cause that by work up a so-called “ multi-platform experience. ” “ Our goal is to go beyond any one screen and to , in fact , create … the intentional immersive worlds that speak to this current generation and to reinvent the model , ” says company chairman Christina Miller , who connect Cartoon Network a year and a half ago . “ We ‘re appear to the future . ”
Cartoon Network equal n’t the first company to recognize that its future lies beyond the small screen . Its more adult counterpart Adult Swim have found several successful games base on its shows . Meanwhile , competitor like Disney and Nickelodeon own aggressively develop online game for kids . Cartoon Network already hold game based on popular display likeAdventure Time.
But introducing new character via a plot — -and in make so , privileging a universe over a single narrative — -is new for the network , and , at least for today , may mean an opportunity to experiment creatively without occupation pressure . “ I ‘m less concerned about what the economical models are at this item in time , because I know that we as a caller make multiple fashion to monetize this , ” Sorcher says . “ In the bad suit scenario , we own a hit TV display . ”
Part of Cartoon Network ‘s shift beyond TV will signify tapping into more than hardly animators and storytellers who know good TV . Later this month , Cartoon Network will host a 48-hour plot jam in Portland , Oregon with 200 developers , animators , graphic artist , designers , and musicians . The goal equal n’t just to advance those artist and developers to produce more games , but to serve then within theOK K.O .population . Cartoon Network hopes the event will help inform the development of next games ; one winning team will live grant a contract to spring up its mobile game idea for the network .
Cartoon Network always has been fan- and artist-focused , Miller says , but focus on the population means the artists and fans turn even more cardinal . That is part of the reason why the party is opening some of what it ‘s working on with the plot jam , which , the company hope , will too let more diverse scene points to become role of the evolution procedure early on . “ The more you allow mass in , ” Miller lend , “ you meet they cause desire to reach some of this their own . ”
“ Putting the artists at the center and reinventing the example be what we ‘re after , ” Miller tell . “ Might it vary the economics ? Yes . But it as well increase the opportunities . ” After all , that promise live what the future of entertainment be all about .
