Syfy Releasing Original Social Games To Facebook

Supplementing its projects in the MMO space, cable channel Syfy has revealed plans to launch original social games to Facebook in the U.S. later this year, and to other social networks around the world afterward. Syfy Ventures, a business development and enterprise unit of the NBC Universal network, is managing the projects and expects them to be completely sponsorable. Syfy will serve as the exclusive publisher for the titles under its Syfy Games banner, and is working with an independent developer. The games will center around themes common to the TV channel, such as sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, action/adventure, and super heroes, according to Broadcasting & Cable. Though the will be be based on original content, Syfy says they could expand to its TV, motion picture, and digital platforms. Syfy also notes that it could bring the social games to other game platforms, too. The company has previously partnered with other developers to launch online games, such as Trion Worlds for subscription-based MMORPG Rifts, and Bigpoint for free-to-play MMORPG Battlestar Galactica. "This bold business expansion into games publishing secures a key foundation for the powerful Syfy brand in the burgeoning social games space," said Dave Howe, president of Syfy. "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."