Variety reports that Legendary Pictures has signed a deal with Washington-based Cyan Worlds to bring the popular game Myst to the small screen. The deal was made with Legendary's TV and Digital Media division, which has yet to determine if the series will be offered digitally through Netflix or Hulu Plus, or through traditional network TV.
According to the report, creators Rand and Robyn Miller are taking advantage of the TV deal to create a companion game to "expand plot points" on a number of platforms including desktop and mobile. Currently, they're working on Obduction, a real-time, first-person adventure powered by Epic's Unreal Engine 4 that draws on what made Myst and Riven so popular.
Published by Brøderbund, Myst made its debut on CD-ROM back in 1993 for Mac OS and then found its way onto Windows PC, the original PlayStation, the Sega Saturn, Panasonic's 3DO, the Atari Jaguar and more. Myst was a huge hit and remained at the top of the PC gaming chart until The Sims dethroned Myst's position in 2002.
Myst is a first-person adventure game that relies on puzzles and beautifully-rendered backdrops to set the scene. The game has sold more than 15 million copies and was followed by Riven in 1997, Myst III: Exile in 2001, Myst IV: Revelation in 2004, and Myst V: End of Ages in 2005. There are also a number of console and PC remakes as well as a version of Myst for iOS. There are even several novels based on the series.
"Cyan's goal in working with Legendary is not just to create a compelling TV drama but to develop a true transmedia product that will include a companion video game that extends the story across both media," Blake Lewin, the vice president of business development at Cyan, told VentureBeat. "With 70 percent of tablet owners using their device while watching TV, Cyan sees the potential to push the boundaries of interactive storytelling to a new level."
Could Myst become another Lost-style series on TV? In Myst, players assume the role of the Stranger, who uses a book to travel to the island of Myst. There he must interact with the world to find clues and additional books that help tell the backstory and lead the player to other "Ages" (realms). That said, we could so see this TV show appearing on the SyFy channel.
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