Trivia fans wanting to prove their smarts can compete head-to-head against celebrities, friends and other contestants with today’s launch of Braindex, the world’s first interactive game show distributed as an app . Co-produced by 51 Minds Entertainment, an Endemol company, Braindex is published by new App Show network TouchFrame, which is launching out of Los Angeles start-up accelerator MuckerLab. Braindex allows viewers to seamlessly watch a TV-quality game show and play along in real time by simply tapping to interact. Players compete as if they were in the studio with contestants, matching up their scores for bragging rights. Optimized for iOS 6 and Retina Display, Braindex is available to download free on the App Store for iPad and iPad mini.
“Gaming and Entertainment are the most popular app categories, so merging the two is a natural evolution for the marketplace,” said Sam Rogoway, CEO of TouchFrame. “So much attention is misplaced on ‘second screen’ apps, which leave a lot to be desired. Checking into a show is just not enough. We treat tablets and smartphones as ‘first screens’ and allow users to watch, play, and compete against friends – all from the same screen.”
Hosted by internet personality Alex Blagg, Braindex launches with nine episodes featuring celebrity contestants such as Mike Tyson (The Hangover), La La Anthony (La La’s Full Court Life) and Jason Mewes (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Clerks), in addition to contestants found on the streets of Los Angeles, including Minda the Bikini Babe and Venice Beach Bodybuilder Amir. New episodes will be released each week, including celebrity episodes with Jenni Pulos (Flipping Out), comedian Andy Milonakis and celebrity chef Rick Moonen (Top Chef Masters).
In each episode players at home race against the clock and the contestant on the show to answer a variety of questions on subjects including pop culture, current events and geography, to test their smarts and prove their intellectual superiority. Users also can challenge their Facebook friends to determine who has the bigger brain. Braindex features custom endings for each episode, based on the player’s final score. Players can easily share their score from the game results screen via Facebook or Twitter.
“As a TV producer, developing an interactive mobile app would be prohibitively costly and difficult, but partnering with TouchFrame on Braindex and tapping into their interactive video platform gives us the opportunity to engage our audience in a new and unique way,” said Cris Abrego, executive producer, 51 Minds Entertainment. “We’re looking forward to launching this App Show and many more with TouchFrame.”
Rogoway (former CEO of TripUp, acquired by Sidestep), and co-founders Jon Zimelis (OpenSky) and Chris Lavender (Miso Media) started TouchFrame to connect the dots between the two largest app categories – gaming and entertainment. With a pipeline of App Shows in development, the team spent months developing their technology platform so content creators can get to market quickly with a variety of game show formats to harness the lucrative revenue streams that mobile apps offer.
“We are excited to make history with the launch of Braindex, but this is just the beginning,” said Rogoway. “From TV hitmakers to top YouTube channels, we are building a network of App Shows with amazing content partners.”
Braindex, the debut App Show from TouchFrame, is available free for the iPad and iPad mini from the App Store