“1 VS 100″ Goes to X Box

14 Jul

Posted by Alex Davis as 1 vs. 100, Games, NBC

Going on this week is the video game nerd’s wet dream, E3, which is a huge video game expo where companies show off their new products and make major announcements. One of them that we were told about was Xbox Live Primetime, where you can play big online game shows against people in real time. One of which is NBC’s middle child who keeps getting neglected no matter what ratings are, 1 VS 100.

I think it may need mentioning that this isn’t necessary new breaking news, and it still doesn’t help the show’s case for getting back on the air. Back in April, EA and Endemol were teaming for a new development called VirtualMe, where you could play shows like 1 VS 100, Deal or No Deal, and Big Brother in real time with avatars against each other. EA and Endemol seemed to have not went through with it and Microsoft snatched it up. Finally, 1 VS 100 seems to have dropped off the face of the planet for NBC, even though it got a lot higher ratings than a lot of NBC’s renewed shows. I still don’t expect to see it back, though I’m hoping wrong. Although, and I still have to be honest, do I even want to see it back if it’s in the severely dumbed down format that we got in season two? But I suppose some 1 VS 100 is better than none at all. We could get Amne$ia again *shivers*.

11 Responses

Shon
1
July 14th, 2008 at 3:56 pm

I saw the Microsoft press conference this morning and overall I’m not impressed but that’s another matter entirely.

I’m sort of excited that 1 vs. 100 is coming to XBOX live (time will tell if it will be good or not). You will get to use your avatar (which one of the new developments that was revealed at the conference. Basically it’s a rip off of the mii from the wii) and you will play against people in real time with a real host (it would be cool if Bob Sagat did it) and win real prizes. The graphics are pretty good and faithful to the show. I’m hoping they use the old 1 VS. 100 rules from the first season but I doubt it.

Xbox Primetime is one of the few developments at that whole conference that impressed me and I’m hoping they bring other shows along. I would love to play the Mole, that would be fun or shows like Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, The Amazing Race, Wheel Of Fortune, Family Feud, etc. Like I said time will tell if this will be a great idea or not. I’m hoping it will be.
Shon
2
July 14th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

Here’s a short clip of the preview that they showed this morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uiVVrbfnUQ
Sam Mandlsohn
3
July 14th, 2008 at 6:18 pm

And they’re using the new rules (money tree.)

Great.
Neville
4
July 14th, 2008 at 7:37 pm

Has anyone played the DS version? I’d like to hear if it’s any good.
MikeSant318
5
July 14th, 2008 at 8:22 pm

I’d rather see 1v100 ON THE AIR instead of on Xbox, but NBC is the only one who COULD carry it: it’s too refined for Fox, too smart for ABC (see SMTM and S4L), too rich for GSN, and too “game” for CBS (Survivor, BB, Amazing Race (still the best of the lot, and the only one I care for, IMO). And bring back the two-step logic questions, along with the bounty system (yea much for each player, not every 10 players)!
Mike
6
July 14th, 2008 at 8:39 pm

Neville,

I posted a review on GameSpot, which can be found here.
Adam
7
July 14th, 2008 at 9:15 pm

1v100 gets good ratings, yet NBC doesn’t care a bit about it. Doesn’t NBC have ANY BRAINS?!?
devares
8
July 15th, 2008 at 1:00 am

No NBC doesn’t have any brains. They renew a show (ER) that should’ve ended 5 years ago, yet, they don’t care about a game show that has better ratings (1 vs. 100). Sure the show’s not Deal or No Deal (then again, what game show is?), but it put up very good ratings on a night that people usually go out. Imagine what kind of ratings it would get if they put it on, say, Tuesday Nights.
Devon
9
July 15th, 2008 at 8:35 am

You know when I saw Microsoft’s press conference I had a feeling Xbox Primetime would be mentioned here. lol The main thing that really impressed me (besides the brilliant demos naturally) is the fact they catered to all audiences even more so being able to play Endemol games with your avatars. Family Game Night indeed.
Marc Power
10
July 15th, 2008 at 10:18 am

my theory on why they won’t renew 1 vs. 100, production costs, I mean you need 101 contestants every show. although then again, Merv griffin’s crosswords produced 225 shows with 5 contestants each which is close to 13 1 vs. 100 eps. i dunno, maybe NBC just wants a bigger return on their investment (GREED!!!!!)
Travis P
11
July 15th, 2008 at 11:50 am

Perhaps they should take note to what we do over here. Initial Endemol & BBC records a whole series inside three days where they have the same number of contestants for a entire day which features either two or three shows being recorded. Add a few spare and standby contestants and they have around 110 people for three shows on a single day.

The third series we had back in the spring fared very well and managed to get respectable viewing numbers. It’s very likely BBC will keep their faith and comission a fourth series for either Christmas or 2009.

I think it’s down to other costs at the end of the day since they are renting a massive studio (the biggest used in the US game show world today) and there is also the cost to build and a run that massive set. Perhaps NBC are thinking the 1 Vs 100 budget can be better used for the Syndie DoND budget?