Facebook Watch just got its first exclusive in the form of Rival Peak – a gameshow-like experience where viewers get to vote on what happens next. It's developed by Pipeworks Studios and Genvid Technologies, with former Telltale Games employees playing a big role in its creation.
Rival Peak sees 12 characters thrown into a region not unlike the Pacific Northwest. As you watch the competition unfold, you'll be asked to vote on actions for the characters to perform at various times throughout the day. Whichever action gets the most votes is the action you'll see performed. If it all sounds a bit like Twitch Plays, well, that's because it is. However, instead of a bunch of random people clumsily moving a character around the screen, you'll be voting on actions that are part of a much larger, hand-crafted story.
Just because things are a bit more planned out than Twitch Plays, that doesn't mean everything is predetermined. "We are the creators of the show and we have no idea how it will end," said Jacob Navok, cofounder and CEO of Genvid Technologies. "And every single week, we have to change the dialogue, change the weekly wrap-up show. It's really being built week to week as the audience is collectively deciding what's going to happen. The storyline that the community decides on is the canonical storyline."
While most of the story is driven by the player – or viewer, whichever you prefer – Rival Peak does have a big mystery, one that will be revealed at the end of its 12 weeks.
Controlling the action is pretty simple, too. You'll just click on the action you're voting for, whether that's a specific line of dialogue or a physical action, and wait for the votes to come in. Once the timer runs out, the votes are tallied and the winning selection is performed.
"We're super proud of creating something entirely different, and excited to see how it's received by Facebook folks worldwide," said Hal Milton, Pipeworks Studios design director.
To learn more about the unique new game, check out its official Facebook page.