One of the creators of The Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman joins Telltale Games for the latest episode of their series Playing Dead. Playing Dead is Telltale’s talk-show format developer diary designed to let gamers know what they can expect from the upcoming game based on Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic books.
The episode also has the first extended look at game play.
Telltale Games Releases First Trailer for The Walking Dead
Reveals Pricing, Release Date & Pre-Order Offer
San Rafael, CA – March 20, 2012 – Telltale Games and Robert Kirkman, the Eisner Award-winning creator/writer of The Walking Dead for Skybound/Image, announced today that the first trailer for their upcoming game, The Walking Dead, is available to view on the games’ official website.
Created by animator and director Daniel M. Kanemoto, the trailer blends 2D and 3D imagery in stunning fashion as homage to the art of the original comic book world on which Telltale’s game is based. Kanemoto was asked by Telltale to create the trailer because of a “fan made” Walking Dead title sequence he had made, which can be seen at www.exmortisfilms.com.
The first of five monthly episodes of The Walking Dead is set for release in late April on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360® for 400 Microsoft® Points, on PlayStation®Network for $4.99 and on PC and Mac as a season pass for $24.99 from the Telltale Online Store and other digital outlets. Information on additional formats will follow.
Telltale has also revealed details of a limited time pre-order offer available via their online store. Pre-order customers will get the chance to join the cast of the game in episode four, where they will be modeled as a human survivor before being killed and then returned to life as a ravenous zombie. Pre-ordering also qualifies customers for a 10% discount (get the 5 episode season for $22.49; normally $24.99).
“This trailer really shows off how our artists have managed to take the 2D art style of the comic books and create a 3D world allowing fans to truly interact with Robert Kirkman’s world for the very first time,” said Dan Connors, Telltale co-founder and CEO. “We hope that fans will like what they see and be excited by the chance to join the cast of the game; we promise they’ll die horribly!”
“Telltale has done a phenomenal job in making a game that meets the expectations of fans,” added Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead. “Running around with a gun isn’t what The Walking Dead is about; it’s about is how people caught in an apocalypse deal with facing their own death every day, and the horrible choices they have to make to survive. Telltale’s game series has captured the spirit of the comic books perfectly.”
The Walking Dead is set in the world of Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series. Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, has been given a chance for redemption in a world devastated by the undead. Players will experience events, meet people and visit locations that foreshadow the story of Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes. The Walking Dead offers a tailored game experience – player actions, choices and decisions affect how the story plays out across the entire series.
The Walking Dead is rated ‘M’ (Mature) for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence and Strong Language by the ESRB.
For more information on the game, visit the official website, Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@telltalegames). For more information on The Walking Dead comic books, visit www.skybound.com.
About Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman’s success and passionate advocacy for creator-owned comics led him to become the first person invited to become a partner at Image Comics since the company’s inception twenty years ago. He’s the creator/writer of the Eisner Award-winning The Walking Dead, long-running Invincible, kid-friendly Super Dinosaur, The Astounding Wolfman, and new title Thief of Thieves, among many others. Kirkman has earned the respect of the comic, writing and television communities and topped the New York Times bestseller list for graphic novels in 2011, taking four of the top spots. He’s the creator/executive producer and writer of the hit television show, AMC’s The Walking Dead, the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time in the U.S, also an international success in 120 countries and 250 million households. www.Skybound.com is your destination for all news and merchandise for Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead and all Skybound titles.
About Image
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
About Daniel M. Kanemoto
Daniel M. Kanemoto is a writer, director, and animator for Ex Mortis Films, a Los Angeles based studio that specializes in creative animation content. His 1999 debut, A LETTER FROM THE WESTERN FRONT, won the Gold Medal for Best Animated Short at the Student Academy Awards.His diverse body of work (from original films to national commercial campaigns) has been featured on Nickelodeon, MTV, the Discovery Channel, and film festivals around the world. His most recent film, ARTICLES OF WAR, can be seen online at http://www.articles-of-war.com. He is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts film program. Daniel can be contacted by email at exmortis@me.com.
About Telltale, Inc.
Telltale is a leading independent developer and publisher of games for every major gaming platform and is the pioneer of the episodic delivery of digital gaming content. By developing games as series and successfully releasing on a schedule, they create longer consumer engagement than traditional games for each release. Founded in 2004 by games industry veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader, establishing the model for successful episodic game creation and digital publishing. Telltale has sold more than 5 million episodes since 2005. Telltale’s reputation for quality has been established across more than 25 published releases, winning numerous awards including, “Adventure Game of the Year” accolades from publications such as IGN, PC Gamer, GameSpy, and Adventure Gamers. Telltale has also been recognized by mainstream outlets ranging from USA Today, to The New York Times and Variety. Telltale currently develops and publishes episodic series on Xbox 360®, Apple® iOS devices, PlayStation®3, PC, Mac, and Wii™. www.telltalegames.com
Telltale Games and Robert Kirkman Announce Playing Dead & New Website/Screenshots for their Game Based on
The Walking Dead
New Online Talk Show Reveals the Process of Making a Game based on the World’s Most Popular Zombie Franchise
San Rafael, CA – February 15, 2012 – Telltale Games and Robert Kirkman, the Eisner Award-winning creator/writer of The Walking Dead, announced that the first episode of Playing Dead, a new online talk show discussing their upcoming game, The Walking Dead, is now live and available to view on the games’ official website, which also debuted today.
Based on Robert Kirkman’s groundbreaking comic book series, The Walking Dead is an episodic Adventure Horror game series set during the same apocalyptic period witnessed by Sheriff Rick Grimes. Telling the story of a new group of survivors as they struggle to flee the horror of Atlanta and the surrounding communities consumed by the undead, The Walking Dead offers players the chance to experience the very first days of the apocalypse, meeting people and participating in events that intersect with the story seen in the comic books.
Playing Dead is an online talk show that takes fans behind the scenes to reveal what has gone into making the game. Hosted by AJ LoCascio (the voice of Marty McFly in Telltale’s Back to the Future: The Game series), the nine-part show will feature guests including The Walking Dead creator/writer Robert Kirkman and Gary Whitta, screenwriter for TheBook of Eli and story consultant for the game.
After a 24-hour period of exclusivity on the official website, Playing Dead will also be available to watch on YouTube, iTunes and soon after, other online outlets including Xbox LIVE® and PlayStation®Network.
“Telltale has always believed in sharing and interacting with our fans as much as possible as we head towards the launch of a game and Playing Dead is an exciting evolution of that process,” said Dan Connors, Telltale co-founder and CEO. “I don’t think any other developer or publisher has created anything quite like this before and we really hope that people will enjoy it.”
“Collaborating with Telltale on The Walking Dead continues to be a fantastic process. They understand the world and the characters that I created and what it takes to make a game out of them. What’s really exciting is that they’re telling a new story with new characters, so you’ll get to see the same world Rick Grimes did, but now from a different point of view,” added Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead. “Playing Dead is going to be an awesome way for fans to learn about the game and how it was made. It makes sense that Telltale are talking to people in this unique way because The Walking Dead is going to be a unique zombie game.”
Telltale also released 3 new screenshots from the game, highlighting the game’s distinctive visuals, inspired by the work of The Walking Dead comic book artist Charlie Adlard.
The Walking Dead is a five part episodic Adventure Horror game that will be available for digital download beginning in spring of 2012 for all major gaming platforms.
About Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman’s success and passionate advocacy for creator-owned comics led him to become the first person invited to become a partner at Image Comics since the company’s inception twenty years ago. He’s the creator/writer of the Eisner Award-winning The Walking Dead, long-running Invincible, kid-friendly Super Dinosaur, The Astounding Wolfman, and new title Thief of Thieves, among many others. Kirkman has earned the respect of the comic, writing and television communities and topped the New York Times bestseller list for graphic novels in 2011, taking four of the top spots. He’s the creator/executive producer and writer of the hit television show, AMC’s The Walking Dead, the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time in the U.S, also an international success in 120 countries and 250 million households. www.Skybound.com is your destination for all news and merchandise for Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead and all Skybound titles.
About Image
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of four major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
About Telltale, Inc.
Telltale is a leading independent developer and publisher of games for every major gaming platform and is the pioneer of the episodic delivery of digital gaming content. By developing games as series and successfully releasing on a schedule, they create longer consumer engagement than traditional games for each release. Founded in 2004 by games industry veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader, establishing the model for successful episodic game creation and digital publishing. Telltale has sold more than 5 million episodes since 2005. Telltale’s reputation for quality has been established across more than 25 published releases, winning numerous awards including, “Adventure Game of the Year” accolades from publications such as IGN, PC Gamer, GameSpy, and Adventure Gamers. Telltale has also been recognized by mainstream outlets ranging from USA Today, to The New York Times and Variety. Telltale currently develops and publishes episodic series on Xbox 360®, Apple® iOS devices, PlayStation®3, PC, Mac, and Wii™. www.telltalegames.com
