Cartoon Network Launches First Game ‘OK K.O.!’ Lakewood Plaza Turbo’
Recognizing the increasingly interactive future of children’s entertainment, Cartoon Network announced the launch of its first game OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo, an original idea conceived by Steven Universe supervising producer Ian Jones-Quartey.
The free mobile game, available today for iOS and Android devices, was developed by Quartey and Toby Jones (storyboard director, Regular Show), in collaboration with Canadian game studio Double Stallion. The mobile game will be accompanied by animated shorts produced in different styles and by different studios, available across CN’s digital platforms.
“Cartoon Network is no longer just creating series, we are creating animated worlds,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer for Cartoon Network. “OK K.O.! is part of our new development strategy which brings a diverse array of creative and digital talent collaborations to the storytelling process.”
Cartoon Network will open up the property to the indie game development community by hosting a Game Jame in Portland Oregon on February 12-14. Two hundred game developers will have 48 hours to create their own games based on the cast of characters in the Lakewood Plaza universe. The winning team will be awarded a contract with Cartoon Network to continue developing their game jam prototype.
The idea for OK K.O.! was sparked by Quartey’s 2013 pilot Lakewood Plaza Turbo. It’s set in Lakewood Plaza, a mall for superheros, where young champion K.O. and his convenience store pals battle Lord Boxman and his robot army. Here’s the pilot: