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Nickelodeon Online Game Linked
to ‘Avatar’ Series
Richard Tedesco
Promo Xtra
August 5,
2008
Nickelodeon aims to build on the buzz from its
popular “Avatar” animé series with the introduction of a
global multiplayer Web game based on the series in
September.
The online game, “Avatar: Legends of the Arena,” spins
out a prequel to the three seasons of “Avatar: the Last
Airbender.”
Nicktoons Network will repeat the final episodes of the
recently concluded third season, with those episodes
providing viewers with access codes for the online game
launching on Sept. 15 at www.avatarlegends.com.
The game will help to build players’ anticipation for
the theatrical release of M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Last
Airbender” from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon
Movies in July 2010. The film was inspired by the anime
series that tells the story of Aang, a 12-year-old boy
struggling with his destiny to become an Avatar.
“There’s an amazing range of mythology about it,” said
Jason Root, senior vice president of Nick.com. “It lends
itself to game play. So this is really an opportunity as
we role things out to the next level.”
The anime series has already engaged the imaginations of
the six- to 14-year old core demographic: the two-hour
third season finale averaged 5.6 million viewers. The
series will keep its mythology alive in reruns on Nick’s
cable channels.
Players joining in the 3D online game will create their
own characters to interact with Aang in the days before
he realized his super-human capabilities as an Airbender.
Root sees a strong potential to expand the audience for
the series—and the movie—with the September release of
the game in 77 countries.
“We’re trying to deepen the audience’s current
relationship with the show,” Root said.
The game will ultimately be available in 81 countries. A
beta version, at www.tinyurl.com/5j6j6j, was introduced
during Comic-Con International last month.
Nick.com is in discussions about possible sponsorship of
the game, according to Root, who said a possible
migration to another gaming platform is yet to be
determined.
Meanwhile, THQ will release “The Last Airbender: Into
the Inferno,” also based on Nick’s anime series, this
fall.
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