USA's Covert Ops and Burn Notice go 2.0 in Tandem

USA Network on Jan. 22 plans roll out the latest version of its casual Web game Covert Ops to correspond with the premiere of the new season of its hit spy drama Burn Notice—this time with a heavy dose of original video content featuring characters and stories from the show. And just like the original version did last summer, Covert Ops 2 will integrate the Saab brand throughout the game, including letting players drive a virtual version of the vehicle depicted in the show.Over a nine week period last summer, the Burn Notice-inspired Cover Ops game drew between 40,000 and 60,000 users a week on USANetwork.com, and 300,000 overall. Visitors spent an average of 12 minutes per session with the game, which was designed to complement each week’s new Burn Notice episodes by showcasing original corresponding storylines conceived by the show’s writing staff.This time around, according to Jesse Redniss, vp, USA Network Digital, the plan was to broaden the game’s appeal by making it “less point and click...and make it a lot more about video.” Redniss’ team used some clips from Burn Notice episodes, but mostly shot original footage for the game—footage shot from the vantage point of Notice’s main character. He believes that perspective should providea fans a deeper level of engagement. “We wanted something that extends the storyline of the show, and lets users feel what it’s like to be Michael Westen (the show’s wrongly-framed spy lead),” he said. “USA has done casual games before, but we have never done anything like this. We wanted people to fee like they were actually in an episode of Burn Notice.”As for Saab, besides having digital version of its cars built into the game, Redniss’ team shot some footage from within actual Saab vehicles--in an effort to provide players with the feeling that they are actually driving. “You’ll be able to see through the windshield on screen,” he said.

Convergent TV

USA's Covert Ops and Burn Notice go 2.0 in Tandem

Mike Shields

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Mike Shields