(16 April 2007 7:25 pm)

MUMBAI: Electronic Arts, interactive entertainment software company, and the Endemol group have announced a creative partnership for the development of Virtual Me, a new digital entertainment concept that bridges the divide between traditional TV and videogames. The all-new online offering is being prepared to debut in Endemol's reality show Big Brother.

Virtual Me combines cutting edge avatar creation technology from EA with TV formats from Endemol to give consumers a breakthrough way to meet, compete and socialize in online digital worlds. Avatar creation takes a leap forward with a high performing, easy-to-use tool that creates life-like cyber-clones, with customized appearances and identities. VirtualMe.com, the home of the Virtual Me avatar creation system, will launch in the coming months.

Virtual Me offers players the chance to participate in virtual versions of TV talent shows like Fame Academy and Operacion Triunfo, game shows like Deal Or No Deal and 1 vs 100 and to form real relationships with other virtual avatars on the web. The two companies will create an integrated team to share expertise in their respective fields and develop entertainment formats and experiences for a wide range of platforms, including TV and online, states an official release.

Endemol chief creative officer Peter Bazalgette said, "We're told that people are starting to spend more time online than they are watching TV. Both markets are now important and this has huge implications for content creators. Our opportunity with Electronic Arts is to develop ideas that fully embrace the way people are consuming entertainment today."