An upcoming interactive streaming series set in the DC Universe will give players the decision-making superpowers of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in a story that will lead to the formation of the Justice League. DC and Genvid Entertainment announced that series, DC Heroes United, at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, promising a “story whose decisions become immutable DC multiverse canon” that its creators compared to a Batman: Death in the Family-style choose-your-own-adventure story “but on a massive, global scale.”
DC Heroes United is being developed by Genvid Entertainment, the company behind Silent Hill: Ascension and a new Borderlands interactive streaming series, and Piranha Games, the studio responsible for MechWarrior Online.
The narrative of DC Heroes United is something of an origin story — not for heroes like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman or villains like Lex Luthor, but for the Justice League itself. DC Heroes United is set on an alternate Earth (that’s Earth-212, specifically) where DC’s heroes and villains “remain in the shadows, largely unknown to one another and mostly serving as legend and rumor to civilians. The appearance of the magical Tower of Fate in Gotham City thrusts these fledgling heroes into the spotlight — together and in opposition,” Genvid said in a news release.
Fans — or rather, the participating audience — will decide how Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman work together and whether they succeed or fail in DC Heroes United, its creators say. The choices the audience will make include things like “whether The Dark Knight and Man of Steel work well together, whether they trust one another, and how much”; “how Batman responds to Wonder Woman and Superman fighting crime in Gotham City”; and “whether Lex Luthor gives into his darker desires. And ultimately, who fights for good, evil, or themselves, and why.”
Polygon’s interview with Genvid CEO Jacob Novak about Silent Hill: Ascension will give you some idea how these massively multiplayer interactive series will unfold.
Here’s a look at Earth-212’s version of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman — as envisioned by artist Terry Dodson, who’s working on the project — will look:
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“For nearly a century, DC fans like me have debated what hero would win in a fight, what hero was right, or how they would lead the Justice League,” said Jacob Navok, CEO of Genvid Entertainment, in a news release. “Now, we give you the chance to be part of every critical decision from day one, and with incredible storyline and graphical fidelity across everywhere you can watch streaming video.”
“This will be like the ‘Death in the Family’ audience decision about Jason Todd, but on a massive, global scale,” said Stephan Bugaj, chief creative officer at Genvid. “Fan decisions will determine irreversible outcomes for these classic heroes and villains as you, the audience, shape the canon of Earth-212. How this universe’s Justice League confronts problems, relates to each other, and develops into a team is up to its fans and no one knows what all the final outcomes will be, including we the creators.”
Genvid did not announce a release date or platforms for DC Heroes United.