Ubisoft Producing Animated Series Based On Rabbids Characters

The floppy-eared, buck-toothed, screaming Rabbids characters from Ubisoft's popular game franchise will be the stars of a computer animated series to be broadcast on Nickelodeon starting in 2013. Ubisoft Motion Pictures and Ubisoft's French studios have partnered with France Television to produce 78 seven-minute CGI shorts featuring the characters, which will be packaged as 26 half-hour episodes for worldwide distribution on Nickelodeon in all markets except France. "As the world’s most recognized entertainment brand for children and families, Nickelodeon is the perfect vehicle to share the zany Rabbids characters and their crazy adventures with television audiences around the globe," Ubisoft Motion Pictures CEO Jean-Julien Baronnet said in a statement. "This partnership represents a major milestone in Ubisoft's strategy to expand its brands to new media, thereby attracting new audiences to its games," he continued. Major game publisher Ubisoft officially launched its Paris-based motion picture arm earlier this year, but has previously shown interest in film and TV production through public statements and the acquisition of special effects house Hybride. The studio also has plans to develop movies based on Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell game franchises. Since first appearing in Wii launch title Rayman: Raving Rabbids in 2006, Ubisoft has sold over 10 million units over five Rabbids titles spanning all major consoles. The Kinect-based Raving Rabbids: Alive & Kicking is set for release next month.