Super Show FAQ

Blind Sniper

Super Show FAQ:

(1) What is a "Super Show"? Is this Telltale’s original IP?

The "Super Show" is not a franchise, but is rather a new gameplay format that Telltale will begin to use, alongside their current game format of a five episode interactive Season. However, for Telltale’s first "Super Show", they will indeed be using an original IP.

(2) What’s so "super" about a "Super Show” game?

Telltale has not yet publicly elaborated on the more intricate details of how this all will work out, but we do know this; a Super Show game will combine an interactive game with a scripted, non-interactive TV style show that has "40 minute episodes". Both will be treated with equal priority according to Telltale; it will not be a “game based off of the show” or a “show based off of the game.” Presumably, choices from the game portion will somehow tailor the narrative of the show as well.

(3) Telltale hasn't talked about the Super Show since it was announced! How is this game coming along?

The release of the Super Show is still a while off, as Telltale hasn't announced a release date yet. It will not arrive in 2017 or 2018 according to a Eurogamer interview with Job Stauffer.

(4) What will gameplay be like?

Telltale has not divulged many details yet, but it can be assumed that it will follow the tailored narrative, choice driven gameplay as seen in recent Telltale titles that they established with Walking Dead: Season 1 back in 2012.

Telltale focuses on new storylines, (mostly) new characters and aims to tell new, intricate stories in well-known settings. The game progresses through the player's dialog and plot choices, interspersed with carefully orchestrated QTE action sequences.

(5) This sounds way too ambitious to actually work. A TV show AND a game?!? Can Telltale even pull this off?

Unlike most studios, Telltale has a large head start in this area. Whereas most studios would have the problem of trying to make a new engine for such a game and trying to figure out the gameplay on top of juggling the production of a TV show as well, Telltale already has their bases covered here when it comes to designing the game. Telltale will very likely use the same popular and established gameplay from Walking Dead: Season 1 that they also use in all of their newer and current titles. Likewise, they will also use the same engine and tools they use for their other games. Since Telltale will be using an already established and popular gameplay format with the same engine they are used to, this will reduce the time and resources that others would have to overcome, and will allow Telltale to focus on more important things such as writing the story and producing the TV show.

Besides writing the story for the new series, the only new challenges Telltale will encounter will be figuring out how to make the TV show and how to have the game's choices tailor the story in the TV show.

(6) How many episodes will the game and TV portions of the Super Show have? What will the release schedule be like?

We don’t know at this time; Telltale has not shared many details. Typical Telltale Seasons have somewhere around 5 episodes, but it is unknown at the time if this will change for the Super Show game format. We also don't know at this time how many episodes of the TV Show portion of the Super Show there will be.

During an SXSW Panel, Kevin Bruner (Telltale's CEO) implied that Super Show episodes will release around a monthly basis similar to newer Telltale titles that have a typical 5-8 week schedule.

(7) Can you only play the game/watch the show individually, or do you *have* to do both?

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Bruner (Telltale's CEO) said that both could be consumed individually, but that the ideal experience would be obtained from consuming both portions of the Super Show. In the same interview, he implied that Telltale might possibly distribute the show portion of the Super Show elsewhere, saying "at some point, non-interactive episodes of the scripted content will become available as traditional TV-style episodes on streaming services and broadcast TV."

(8) How is Lionsgate involved?

Lionsgate recently made a large investment for Telltale back in early 2015, but outside of that (as far as we know going off of what Telltale has publicly shared), they will not extensively be involved in the production/story writing/etc for the first Super Show. Telltale will likely be collaborating with other writers for their Super Show, in the same way they collaborate with franchise owners when Telltale makes a typical five episode Season.

Telltale is using an original IP for their first Super Show, so their first Super Show game will not be based off of a Lionsgate IP. However, Telltale has implied they are not against the idea of eventually making a game with a Lionsgate IP either.

It has also been implied during a SXSW Panel that Telltale has interest in doing an eventual Super Show with Lionsgate as well.

(9) An original IP, you say? Have any details?

Telltale has not shared many details about the original IP so far.

(10) Will all Super Shows have Original IPs, or will Telltale ever use an established franchise for a Super Show?

Telltale’s first Super Show will be using an original IP because they want to test the format and have more control over the story they tell using this new format.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Bruner (Telltale’s CEO) did not dismiss the possibility of eventually adapting the Super Show game format to an established franchise as well.

(11) Will Telltale replace their regular Episodic format with Super Shows? Is this Super Show a one time deal?

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Bruner (Telltale’s CEO) said that Super Shows and traditional five-episode Seasons will coexist. It is also very likely that more Super Shows will exist in the future after this.