MSN ‘looking to revive Heroes for Xbox’

MSN could be planning to make a new season of NBC’s superhero drama Heroes for its Xbox games console platform, according to a US report.

US website TVLine reported that MSN was interested in relaunching the series, without naming sources.

MSN created Xbox Entertainment Studios in February under former CBS executive Nancy Tellem and hired former NBC development executive Jada Miranda to oversee production. The stated objective of the studio is to create “interactive content” for the games platform.

Earlier this month Microsoft advertised for a new role of senior VP, interactive, at the studio who would, among other things, “develop and execute editorial and programming strategies for Xbox Entertainment Studios with a focus on rapid audience growth, cross-platform experiences and revenue generation” and “create and bring to market new content formats, interactive user experiences and digital products to further strengthen the Xbox platform”.

Heroes ran for four seasons on NBC, ending in February 2010. The show’s creator, Tim Kring, recently spoke to TBI at MIPTV in Cannes. While not mentioning any plans for a revival of Heroes, Kring said he had discussed making shows with video-on-demand platforms – including Xbox.

“The idea traditional broadcasters have a lock on our content is just no longer true. Netflix is of course there but you also look at the emergence of Amazon getting into content, Xbox getting into content, and it’s just a fantastic opportunity for writers like me who want to reach audiences where they are,” Kring told TBI.