Kuma Games and Animal Planet Partner to Bring Fans New TV SERIES & VIDEO GAME

Dec. 14, 2010 - PRLog -- Kuma Games and Animal Planet Partner to Bring Fans Into the Realm of the Great White
in New Television Series and Video Game, I,Predator

(New York, New York, December 14, 2010) – Animal Planet and KUMA Games have formed an exclusive partnership to create the latest fusion of television and video game entertainment. In a multimedia first, Kuma Games and Animal Planet announce the simultaneous release of a television show and video game series, I,Predator. I,Predator is the world’s first rich, 3D episodic animal vs. animal game. Both the show and the video game debut on January 11th with the “Great White Shark vs. Cape Fur Seal” episode premiering at 8 PM et/pt. The multiplayer game can be downloaded for free at www.AnimalPlanet.com or at www.KumaGames.com.

The premiere episode thrusts audiences into the heart of the I, Predator experience through graphically rich scenes and action-packed battles. The audience follows the shark as it manages to survive by living a surprisingly lowly scavenger’s existence, until it has its’ seminal moment – its’ first taste of mammal flesh. From that point on, the young shark teaches itsself how to locate and successfully hunt its’ greatest food resource, the Cape Fur Seal. The game promises to further engage fans in a unique adventure where players live and compete as prey first, then predator .

Upon entering the game, the player assumes the role of the Cape Fur Seal, and is able to earn points by surviving - finding sustenance ,and evading being eaten by its’ bigger, faster rival. It is only when the gamer has earned enough points by living as prey, that he can assume the role of the fiercest hunter in the ocean – the Great White – and prey upon other gamers, playing the roles of Cape Fur Seals, trying to earn their way to becoming predator status. And helping players achieve faster success in the I, Predator game is the knowledge they takeaway from the six original episodes of the I, Predator television series.

“Games allow us to be who we are not, to do what we cannot, to be in places and times we cannot go. And so while there’s a common picture of gamers as being isolated from the world, I, Predator demonstrates how games can connect us to a world that is beyond our immediate senses. Through entertainment and action, we can educate in novel and powerful ways ,” explains Keith Halper, CEO of KUMA Games.

The concept for I,Predator – experiencing the fierce competition to survive through the eye of
nature’s greatest beasts - was originally proposed to Animal Planet by KUMA Games. Now, in a pioneering joint venture, I,Predator promises fans a double dose of entertainment: a gripping television series coupled with heart-pounding, first-person "biter" video game episodes.

“Our joint venture with KUMA Games enabled us to create the first truly 360 degree sensory
experience, allowing our audience to feel the raw and visceral power of a predator in action," says Marc Etkind, Animal Planet’s vice president of development.

Animal Planet joins The History Channel and Biography Channel on KUMA's list of TV heavyweight affiliations. Laying claim to the first simultaneous game-inspired television debut and online game release, I,Predator aims to set the bar for the future of creative partnerships and add to the already 150-plus game episodes enjoyed by nearly 19 million players to date.

KUMA, LLC. (www.kumagames.com) is the world leader in the new market for Episodic Video Games - intense, 3D game experiences delivered to PCs in weekly episodes. Kuma's network of free, adsupported game series makes high-end console-quality game play accessible to mass market consumers. Each week, players' PCs are updated with the latest "game-isode" from their favorite series inspired by just-released TV shows, real world news events and pop culture happenings. With over 150 game-isodes currently available in seven titles, Kuma has an excess of 20 million users, with an additional 360,000 new players signing on each month. Kuma’s synergy with traditional TV
programmers such as THE HISTORY CHANNEL®, and ANIMAL PLANET® makes television more dynamic and more relevant to a media and tech-savvy generation while presenting distinct marketing advantages for TV partners, advertisers, content owners and distributors. With an unprecedented level of user interactivity, Kuma represents a direct analog for television within video games. Kuma Reality Games, headquartered in New York, is a privately held company.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 97 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Keith Halper, Chief Executive Officer, Kuma Reality Games
keith@kumagames.com
Joe Kressaty, VP Global Sales & Television Relations, Kuma Reality Games Joe@kumagames.com
Melissa Berry, Manager, Publicity, Animal Planet
melissa_berry@discovery.com

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KUMA, LLC. is the world leader in the new market for Episodic Video Games - intense, 3D gaming experiences delivered in weekly episodes. KUMA's free games are ad supported, granting access to high-end console-quality game play to mass market consumers.