Live-Action System Shock TV Series Announced

A TV show based on the System Shock franchise was announced on Wednesday by the streaming platform Binge. The platform that leans towards gaming content announced that it’s working with Nightdive Studios to create the new System Shock series and said that the project will be live-action as opposed to an animated one. Binge is set to launch in 2022 and will be accessible for free, but there’s no indication yet of when this System Shock TV series will be available on the platform.

Allan Ungar, the chief content officer at Binge who also directed the Uncharted short film which starred Nathan Fillion, will serve as a producer for the System Shock show. He’ll be joined by Nightdive Studios CEO and founder Stephen Kick and Nightdive’s director of business development Larry Kuperman who will both be serving as executive producers.

“I’ve always believed that a live-action adaptation of System Shock would be the perfect medium to retell the harrowing story of Citadel station and its rogue AI that subjects the crew to unimaginable horror,” Kick said. “We’re very excited to see the talented team at Binge bring System Shock to life in horrifyingly real and new ways.”

First released in 1994, System Shock launched as a first-person shooter that quickly became a cult sensation and spawned several follow-up games. It was not, however, originally developed by Nightdive Studios, the group that currently owns the IP. It was created by Looking Glass Technologies with Looking Glass Studios and OtherSide Entertainment working on later System Shock games.

There is also a remake of the original System Shock in the works for those who either remember it fondly and want to play again or those who never got around to it the first time. That remake is being handled by Nightdive Studios and has already exceeded a funding goal on Kickstarter while now moving onto stretch goals ahead of its eventual release. Nightdive also said in the past it’s working with former Looking Glass developers to ensure the remake feels authentic.

“To ensure this reboot is as true to the original as possible, we’ve been collaborating with the original developers of System Shock 1,” Nightdive said about its plans for the remake. “Understanding what they would do differently and keep the same has helped us to refresh a classic in ways Looking Glass Studios would have.”

Neither the System Shock TV show nor the remake of the first game have release dates.