Warner Bros. developing two scripted esports shows

Studio Warner Bros. Television is developing two scripted television series based on esports, ordered by CBS and NBC.

CBS has put out a pilot order for a comedy seemingly based on Echo Fox founder Rick Fox‘s life, NBC is developing esports comedy ‘The Squad’ with Big Bang Theory actor Johnny Galecki.

RELATED: Nerd Street Gamers’ FTW Philly gets 10-episode season

The Big Bang Theory-inspired series will be executive produced under Alcide Bava, Galecki’s production company. Anthony Del Broccolo, co-executive producer and writer of Big Bang Theory, will join Galecki along with Holly Brown and Cory Wood of Alcide Bava.

Rick Fox’s autobiographical series “follows a recently retired pro basketball star who attempts to reconnect with his estranged son by buying an eSports franchise,” according to Variety. Fox will executive produce the series and will be joined by Dan Kopelman and Kapital Entertainment’s Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor.

RELATED: Evil Geniuses purchases Echo Fox slot in LCS

These series will be the first of their kind as esports-dedicated scripted comedies on major television networks, though it’s not the first time esports has featured on the small screen. HBO’s Ballers recently featured a LCS-inspired arc where Fox himself made a cameo appearance.

Release dates for the pilot episodes are yet to be announced.

Esports Insider says: It’s good to see that Fox is looking to bring even more attention to esports with his own show, especially after recent events. We believe ‘The Squad’ will have a harder time in achieving acceptance from the esports audience but the proof is in the pudding. We’ll have to wait and see if the pilots are picked up by the networks before getting ahead of ourselves.

ESI Autumn Forum – Find out more