Cartoon Network, the company perhaps best known for producing animated shows like Adventure Time and Steven Universe, is venturing out into new territory. For the first time, it is introducing a new franchise as a video game — OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo — rather than a television show.
OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo is a free mobile video game — with no in-app purchases, even — for iOS and Android from the folks at Double Stallion and Cartoon Network Games. Players take on the role of protagonist K.O. as he explores Lakewood Plaza and learns sweet moves with the goal of defeating Lord Boxman and his evil robots. There’s even little comic cutscenes from graphic designer Caroline Breault to set the mood.
As with seemingly most Cartoon Network projects, the game actually began life back in 2012 as an animated short called Lakewood Plaza Turbo, created by Ian Jones-Quartey. Rather than move forward with an animated show based on the property, it was instead ultimately decided to release a game first. Jones-Quartey, in the meantime, became known for his work on Steven Universe.
However, while Cartoon Network might begin official support of the property by launching a game, that doesn’t mean there won’t be other transmedia opportunities. It also released a new animated short set in the Lakewood Plaza Turbo universe after announcing the game earlier today. Basically, the company’s shifting a bit to focus more on the idea of a property existing outside its initial medium.
“We’re no longer just about creating TV series, we’re really about creating animated worlds,” says Rob Sorcher, Cartoon Network’s chief creative officer, in a feature over at Wired about the new direction.
Regardless of where something like, say, the next Adventure Time, begins for Cartoon Network, expect it to “unfold” everywhere else — games, shorts and so on — in due time.
Source: Wired
