The Sci-Fi Channel has teamed up with Trion World Network, a game publisher based in Silicon Valley, to simultaneously develop a new MMO game and related TV show.

According to the Sci-Fi Channel, now strictly known as SCI FI, the MMO will be part of the same fictional universe as the TV show and will actually allow players to participate in the development of the show's storyline and even affect the outcome. "Trion's team has a long history of launching world-class MMOGs (massively multi-player online games) and will bring SCI FI's consumer the deeply immersive, highly detailed experience that the television screen only begins to tap into," said Adam Stotsky, executive vice president of global branding and market development, in a press statement. "Extending and deepening this experience into gaming and social media in an industry-defining co-development partnership with Trion, a leader in connected games and entertainment is the logical evolution for the SCI FI brand."

SCI FI, has begun branching out into gaming recently. In addition to the partnership with Trion, the network last month introduced Fidgit, a new gaming blog focused on sci-fi and fantasy gaming news and titles. As for the new MMO, SCI FI told The Los Angeles Times that it will take place approximately 100 years in the future, which sounds like a science fiction-themed title. The network is targeting a 2010 release date and plans on revealing more details about the project at Comic-Con 2008 next month in San Diego.

Additionally, Trion announced that it is currently developing a separate fantasy-themed MMORPG, unrelated to the SCI FI project, helmed by Might and Magic creator Jon Van Caneghem. According to the company, it will be the first game to utilize its Trion Platform, a "revolutionary server-based architecture, which is uniquely designed to enable massive scalability, dynamic content evolution, and cross platform development."

Jon Van Caneghem, co-founder, president and chief creative officer of Trion, insists that the players will be the focus of the game world, designing a virtual realm teaming with dynamic events. "By building an extensive event system and a server architecture that allows for dynamic change, we are creating completely new opportunities for creative game design," he said in a press statement. "The game will live and change along with the players, evolving in response to their actions and the creativity of our design team."

Van Caneghem and Dr. Lars Buttler launched Trion World Network in 2006. Buttler had previously served as vice president of Electronic Arts' global online operations, while Van Canegham founded New World Computing in the 80s and more recently served at NCSoft. Last year, the company received $30 million in funding from Bertelsmann, NBC Universal (which owns SCI FI) and Time Warner, the second wave of funds following DCM and Trinity Ventures' initial investment.

Also announced today was Trion's plans to develop and publish PlayStation 3 games in North America. This comes as a surprise, as just last year Buttler made the statement that "the days of console were numbered" and that perhaps only one additional generation remained. He even suggested that the gaming potential of PCs could render consoles obsolete. Still, the latest announcement currently differs from last year's view.

"Announcing this publishing partnership with SCEA is the latest step in Trion's strategic growth plans," said Buttler in a press release. "The PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system is the perfect platform to carry out our vision that the future of games and entertainment lies in the connected era, and this agreement provides Trion with a major entertainment channel to deliver ground-breaking and exciting content to the mass market in North America."

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