SyFy has really been amping up their reality TV programming lately. EW reports that the channel has announced a new show called Robot Combat League, which will be similar to a real-life version of last year's Real Steel. The giant robots will be controlled by shadowboxing operators whose movements are translated to their bots. WWE wrestler Chris Jericho will host the festivities.
SyFy President Mark Stern explained, "It has always been our desire — and it’s really come around perennially — to update and do Battle Bots for the new century. Can we do Real Steel? Are we at a place where you can do real bipedal robots? Every time we tried to to do it, [the project] was stymied by the technology.”
Here is a description of the show from EW:
Robot Combat League will have 12 teams. Each consists of a fighter (dubbed a “robo-jockey”) and a robotics engineer (a “robo-tech”). The fighters and techs are from various backgrounds, such as a race car driver, an Olympic athlete, a National Guard helicopter pilot. One of the robo-jocks, for example, is MMA fighter Amanda Lucas (Star Wars visionary George Lucas’ daughter). Each team is paired with its own unique robot, all designed by Setrakian, that will have unique strengths and vulnerabilities. And, of course, the robots will have a colorful names, such as “Steampunk” and “Sgt. Smash.” (If there’s a second season, I hope Lucas gets to control a giant gold robot named C-3POW).
Fights consist of three rounds, with the winning team advancing to the next competition. The winning team claims a $100,000 prize. Jericho will set up each fight and provide play-by-play commentary.
Stern also revealed that much like a real boxers, the robot fighters will have people in their corner. “They are complete boxing matches," he explained. "If a robot is disabled, the team has 20 minutes to get it functional again and back in the ring.”
Discovery Channel is currently developing Robogeddon, produced by James Cameron and Mark Burnett. Robot Combat League just wrapped production on its first season last week.
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