The Truth about Marika, a Sweedish TV show, has won an emmy for their wrk in crossing television with the online world of Entropia Universe where viewers could help to solve a missing person case via clues in-game.

(GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN and CANNES, FRANCE) April 15, 2008 – Last week in Cannes, France, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners of the International Interactive Emmy® Awards, recognizing the drama The Truth About Marika, produced by Swedish Television and The Company P, for the best Interactive TV Service. The program successfully integrated television and the Internet, yielding an exemplary crossover experience for viewers that showcases the potential of future projects between the two mediums.

As part of The Truth About Marika, viewers could participate in the show by helping to solve the mystery of a missing person. Clues were planted in the virtual realm of Entropia Universe, where viewers could collect the separate clues to solve a larger puzzle, leading them one step closer to solving the overarching mystery. Viewers could also interact with the avatars of the main characters of the show inside Entropia.

This partnership was a breakthrough for television and the Internet in terms of creating real value for the viewers, and engaging them in multiple platforms through one program. Christian Bjorkman, Director of Special Projects for Mindark, explains, “Television and broadcasting companies all over the world are currently discussing new revenue models, how to capture viewers’ attention and how to create enhanced value and stickiness to their shows, not just during airtime, but before and after as well. The collaboration with Swedish Television and The Company P was extremely successful, especially as a preliminary project, and Mindark is excited to form relationships with other forward-thinking media partners to push the limits of entertainment to the next level.”

“We are beyond thrilled to be part of this Emmy Award and are extremely thankful to Swedish Television and The Company P for allowing us to be part of this momentous partnership,” says Mindark Chief Information Officer Marco Behrmann. “We look forward to more integration of entertainment outlets as technology and viewer demand calls for it.”

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