E3 08: Endemol games for Xbox PrimeTime

The new service is part of what Microsoft is calling the 'reinvention' of the Xbox Live user interface, based on an avatar system created by the Banjo Kazooie studio Rare.

The mini-characters were unveiled to the platform holder’s media audience at its E3 conference in LA yesterday. Each avatar has a very detailed range of visual characteristics to choose from, including hair, facial features and clothing.

The new Xbox PrimeTime channel will allow the avatars (which launch this autumn) to play against each other in quiz gameshows recognisable from TV – with real prizes up for the grabs. A deal with Endemol will see TV shows such as Deal Or No Deal and 1 vs.100 included.

Endemol's participation is interesting. Back in March the Dutch company told CasualGaming.biz that is was assessing platforms like Xbox and would consider making a Big Brother game.

Now that it's using the Xbox Live avatar system to put players in its game shows, it perhaps wouldn't be too much of a leap to put them into some kind of Big Brother MMO.