WarGames is a movie from 1983 about a young hacker almost starting World War 3. #WarGames, however, is a new interactive series said to reimagine the '80s film and is being headed up by Sam Barlow, creator of FMV masterclass Her Story. (opens in new tab)
The #Wargames series is being made in collaboration with Eko (opens in new tab), best known for its proprietary live-action medium "that allows viewers to shape the stories they watch." You can sample Eko's methods in this series about awkward moments (opens in new tab).
Where FMV project Otis (opens in new tab)invites viewers to tailor their viewing experience and Her Story focuses on assembling your own solutions, Eko's projects seem to invite viewers to participate directly. However, it's not yet clear how viewers will interact with #WarGames.
“With ‘#WarGames’ I was thrilled to take the questions raised by the original movie and ask them again in a world where technology has fundamentally changed our lives," Barlow said. "To do that interactively felt like a perfect marriage of form and content. I am excited to introduce viewers to the new hacker protagonist, Kelly, who represents the breadth of modern hacker culture and its humanity."
#WarGames is a story of hacking and espionage, so its effectiveness will likely hinge on how it subverts viewer expectation—and in some cases, participation. We'll find out if it does when it debuts in 2018.
Barlow is also working on a new game: Telling Lies, a "spiritual follow-up" to Her Story (opens in new tab). A release date for Telling Lies has not yet been announced.
