Desperate Housewives to become a PC Game

[Lights Out]

Desperate Housewives is to become a PC Game, basically like the Sims but as the cast of Desperate Housewives.


BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 2006--Buena Vista Games, Inc. (BVG), the interactive entertainment arm of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS - News), today announced it will publish Desperate Housewives, a lifestyle simulation PC game based on the top-rated, Golden Globe-winning ABC-TV series, produced by Touchstone Television. In the Desperate Housewives game, players take on the role of a new housewife who moves into Wisteria Lane and unlocks the delicious scandals hidden in the seemingly "perfect" neighborhood.

"Buena Vista Games is proud to partner with ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television to bring the popular 'Desperate Housewives' franchise to fans and gamers," said Graham Hopper, senior vice president and general manager, Buena Vista Games. "This game allows players to move to Wisteria Lane and live all the gossip, drama and intrigue of a true desperate housewife."

"'Desperate Housewives' continues to be one of the most popular shows on primetime television and a pop culture phenomenon," said Bruce Gersh, senior vice president of business development, ABC Entertainment and Touchstone Television. "We are continually looking to build upon this successful franchise and believe that extending this program into the world of PC gaming will result in a fun new way for fans to connect more deeply with the series and its captivating collection of characters."

"It's a great opportunity to allow our viewers the chance to be a part of the world of 'Desperate Housewives,'" said creator and executive producer Marc Cherry.

Brenda Strong will reprise her familiar role from the "Desperate Housewives" series as the voice of deceased housewife Mary Alice Young, who serves as the show's omniscient narrator in each episode.

Developed by Liquid Entertainment, creators of the critically acclaimed PC game Dragonshard, Desperate Housewives is scheduled to hit retail shelves this fall.

The PC game is the latest extension of the successful global Desperate Housewives franchise, joining a recently announced fragrance launching this fall, a best-selling Season 1 DVD, a board game, a high end line of apparel, a Desperate Housewives online store, mobile ringtones, graphics, personalized application, and an upcoming cookbook.

About the Series

"Desperate Housewives" stars Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree Van De Kamp, Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis, Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt, Alfre Woodard as Betty Applewhite, Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young, James Denton as Mike Delfino, Doug Savant as Tom Scavo, Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis, Mark Moses as Paul Young, Richard Burgi as Karl Mayer, Cody Kasch as Zach Young, Andrea Bowen as Julie Mayer, Shawn Pyfrom as Andrew Van De Kamp, Joy Lauren as Danielle Van De Kamp and Mehcad Brooks as Matthew Applewhite and Nashawn Kearse as Caleb Applewhite.

Marc Cherry is executive producer and creator and Tom Spezialy is executive producer of the series, which is from Touchstone Television.

Source http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060324/20060324005167.html?.v=1

[Bleed American]

I think that would be heaps mad, finally they are making TV show games like The Sims!! I will definetly buy it.

[Fortunate Fiasco]

Weird...I never imagined a game of Desperate Housewives, but sounds interesting and kinda fun, will have to have a look at that in the shops when it's released.

[Alter Ego]

Well, they have CSI game.. so why not?

[Roaming Tigress]

I'm gonna have to get it :D

[Serotonin]

Well, I didn't see that one coming lol.
I really don't like the sims style games, but it would be amusing to see what the fuss is about.

[Silent Noise]

I love the sims style games - should be good.

[Lights Out]

The game is on general release in the UK on the 9th September 2006.

In the desperate housewives game players take on the role of a new housewife who moves into Wisteria Lane and unlocks the delicious scandals hidden in the seemingly 'perfect' neighbourhood.

www.play.com for more information.

[Julia McNamara]

I am going to pre-order this I think, it sounds really cool and I can see myself getting addicted to the game lol I wonder if the characters will look alot like the cast.

[Lights Out]

I don't know I hope so, and I also hope that the characters have the same voices as the characters that play them in real life, like they do in other games that are based on shows.

[Lights Out]

Desperate Housewives the game is a lifestyle simulation PC game from Buena Vista Games based on the hit ABC/Touchstone Television phenomenon, lets you become the newest housewife on Wisteria Lane, extending the experience from the TV series through new storylines. As a new housewife you must uncover delicious scandals and reveal some shocking secrets of your own. The game play is a story driven adventure, in which each episode contains unique plot points and secrets for you to uncover.

Features


Intereact with characters from the show, including Bree, Gabrielle, Lynette, Susan, Edie and more.

Brenda Strong reprises her role as narrator Mary Alice Young

Original script from Desperate Housewives writer Scott Stanford Tobis.

Solve mysteries: sneak through homes, flirt, entertain, charm, and spy your way to the truth.

Gossip with your favourite characters from Wisteria Lane.

Customise your appearance, decorate your house, shop for clothing and more.

Meanwhile you can run your household by looking after your family, home and garden.

Mini activities include cooking, gardening, and Texas Hold em Poker with the other wives.



Source http://www.mygamer.com/index.php?page=gameportal&id=552708

[Crimson Sunrise]

i've seen previews of this game on google! Its like the sims.
Here's some the pics i found:
http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/2006/129/932382_20060510_screen002.jpg
http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/images/2006/082/932382_20060324_screen007.jpg
Enjoy!
Source GameSpot (http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/desperatehousewives/index.html)

[Lights Out]

Those are so cool thanks for posting them. Bree looks exactly the same as she does in the show going to have to get it when it comes out it looks very good.

[Crimson Sunrise]

I love the whole sims feel the game has, and its great that it had the houses so fans can explore parts we never saw on screen (the other side of lynettes house, other rooms in gabby's house, bree's third floor etc.) I'll rush out and buy a copy when it comes out.

[Lights Out]

More screencaps of the game.

Susan, Gabby and Bree (http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/2199/93238220060510screen0059bn.jpg)
Bree and Edie (http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/8049/93238220060510screen0047bn.jpg)
Kitchen (http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/5701/93238220060510screen0037hq.jpg)
Gabby and Carlos's house (http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/3602/93238220060324screen0020lf.jpg)
Bree's house (http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/7193/93238220060324screen0060ay.jpg)
Bree house (http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1218/93238220060324screen0051ex.jpg)
Wisteria Lane (http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/4231/93238220060324screen0015ok.jpg)
Carlos, Gabby and Bree (http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/7799/93238220060510screen0014fh.jpg)

[Crimson Sunrise]

Thanks Overdosed!!
I like how the characters are really like the people. not like some of the games released before for a TV show.
Also the bree and eddie pic im sure is bree and lynette (outfit covers too much flesh to be eddie lol)

I love the Wisteria Lane shot.

[Lights Out]

Buene Vista Games unveiled a new computer game today that is based on the popular Golden Globe winning ABC TV Series 'Desperate Housewives'. In the 'housewives' game, available for Window XP computers and scheduled to hit retail shelves in the fall, players take on the role of a new houswife who move to Wisteria Lane.

'This game allows players to move to Wisteria Lane and live all the gossip, drama and intrigue of a true Desperate Housewife'.

Gamers can decorate their houses and pick out their wardrobes, and take part in the infamous poker sessions held by your naughty neighbours Bree, Lynette, Gabrielle, Edie and Susan.

'We replicated Wisteria Lane to every detail'. 'You can talk with the characters of the show and gossip, you can be polite to people or you can be nasty'.

Its goal is to give players the ability to unlock juicy, dark secrets typical in any 'desperate housewives' show as the narrative game progresses in an episode-by- episode format.

The interactive game's producers and creators don't doubt this game is most likely to appeal to the show's predominantly female fan base.

'It's a game experience that's geared towards women, meaning the fans of the show. I think there are lots of women out there who will play this game'.

Sourcehttp://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=1764543&page=1

[Crimson Sunrise]

Thanks for that Overdosed.
I like the be a new neighbor idea, i wonder what house you'll get moved into....?

[Lights Out]

You don't have to keep calling me Overdosed you can call me Connie.

Yeah the neighbour idea is really good, and the screencaps look really good as well. I cant' wait for it to come out I will be buy it.

[Crimson Sunrise]

Ok Connie it is ;)
I wonder if characters like felicia tillman and mary alice will make an appearence in the game? I dont want to see george or karl in the game though.

[Lights Out]

Here comes a video game with a lust for slapping people and instigating sex. But this one breaks the mould for provocative games because it's targeted to women, not men, and based on a pop culture phenomenon with wild appeal to that audience the Desperate Housewives television show.
In the case of Desperate Housewives: the game, made for personal computers and scheduled to reach stores by Thursday, some of the byplay between characters featured the option of smacking people on impulse. And the sex, while visually tame, is embellished with the kind of racy dialogue that propels the TV show.
For the viideo game industry, Desperate Housewives represents the latest gambit to attract woman buyers who have life history playing anything on a PC besides solitaire or short puzzle games. Enticing more women to be serious gamers, especially in the converted 18 to 40 age range, remains one of the most elusive goals for developers and publishers.
Even the women that already play games have this sense of what we call gamer shame, says Ismini Roby, co-founder of the Web Site WomenGamers.com the ydon't perceive that other women play or are into ganmmes.
But the Desperate Housewives game is ideal for changing that, she said. Now they'll have something that a lot of women are admittedly into, noted Roby. It offers women a chance to talk about a game without feeling like they're talking about something juvenile.
Other notable attempts include The Sims, a hit series of lifestyle games from Electronic Arts about managing character's daily activities, and the Nancy Drew mystery games from Her Interactive, which have a niche among mother-daughter players. But a potential bonanza awaits if more story driven games can capture the large female market that hasn't expanded from causal card and trivia games.
The overall video game business, including software for home consoles such as the Playstation 2 as well as computer games for PCs, is in the midst of a sharp transition. Some declines in console sales, for example, contrast with growth for handheld games and online games, plus the anticipation surrounding the upcoming debut of Sony’s Playstation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii (pronounced ‘we’).
The desperate housewives game which has a teen rating (13 and older) and is published by Disney’s Buena Vista Games, starts with players creating a new housewife who has a husband and son and has moved to the show’s setting, Wisteria Lane. That housewife, who has memory problems from a vaguely described accident, begins interacting with the signature TV characters: Susan, Bree, Gabrielle, Lynette and Edie.
Although it fast becomes obvious there’s a large scale mystery afoot something’s just not right about the housewife’s hubby, for instance the game also uses lifestyle elements to tap into a certain desperate housewives psychology. Women who test played the game during its development sometimes showed less interest in the plot than the secondary opportunities to slap or seduce characters.
That market perfect sense to Robert Thompson, director of the center for the study of popular television at Syracuse University.
If you reduce desperate housewives to its haiku level, it’s probably about the assertion of power by women in ways that aren’t normally shown, said Thompson. What games like this suggest is that perhaps video games will become new audience testing tools.
Some of the game’s side aspects, such as shopping trips to buy clothes for the new housewife, divide the fun into small bursts of time an accommodation that research shows as particularly important to women.
We got feed back that said, ‘My husband plays “Halo” all night, but this is my game’, said Barbara Gleason, senior brand manager for Buena Vista Games.
The single player game relies on basic controls almost nothing more than point and click with a mouse. The ambience is enhanced by having the narrator from the show, Brenda Strong. But sound alike voice actors were used instead of the show’s stars, and the new housewife is voiceless, “speaking” only in text.
Buena Vista is hoping the game’s $20 price will make it an impulse purchase for some consumers, including men buying it for women. The marketing includes a big push at retailers, with large displays in stores such as Target, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us.
There also will be ad placements in the game from desperate housewives sponsors. Players even will be able to use the internet to receive printable coupons for real products in the click and open mailbox of the new housewife on Wisteria Lane.