Coronation Street Launches Online ‘Social Game’

Entitled ‘Corrie Nation’ the social game, the second of its type following a Crossroads one in 2001, allows users to collect characters (up to 60 to start with) and the regular buildings from the long running ITV soap to play their own version of Coronation Street online.

The game will be available on the broadcasters own website, ITV.com as well as on social networking website Facebook™ from November 1st.

Corrie Nation has been created in close partnership with the Coronation Street production team at ITV Granada and has been designed as a parallel world to the television programme.

Kieran Roberts, Creative Director Manchester Drama, said of the new venture, “We’re delighted this brilliantly imaginative new game will take the show onto new platforms whilst remaining truthful to 50 years of heritage and everything viewers love about Corrie.”

Users can play Corrie Nation at no cost but will have the option to pay to purchase virtual goods, customise their game space and pay to advance gameplay rather than wait to build up points to buy new characters or buildings. Further revenue will be generated from a variety of commercial sponsorship packages and advertising.

ITV Studios are working with game developer Enteraction, the social gaming subsidiary of etv media group, to produce Corrie Nation, which will be developed using their new social games framework Gameshaper™.

Contrary to what ITV have stated it is actually the SECOND interactive social game for a British soap opera. Carlton International and Habbo joined forces in 2001 to create an online version of the Crossroads Hotel, where fans of the show could check in and mingle with regular ‘characters’ from the TV version and carry on storylines at their own whim as well as interact with other users. The Habbo hotel for the soap was based on the sets of the 2001-2002 series, which included a replica reception area, and the famous Crossroads outside frontage was recreated in graphics form.

Crossroads launched in 1964, and despite being a ‘daytime soap’ managed at its peak to beat primetime saga Coronation Street in not only the ratings but with awards.

Coronation Street however continues to be one of the world’s most successful television programmes, with Crossroads having fallen off air in 2003. The first episode of Corrie was transmitted live on December 9th 1960. Now over 7000 episodes later Coronation Street is the only drama to ever hold all top five positions in the BARB ratings – due to ITV expanding more and more episodes of the soap each week, originally twice weekly, then three airings a week and currently five.

Crossroads Habbo Hotel Image courtesy of crossroads2001.co.uk