In this day and age, we have limitless options for entertainment. While an array of innovations already exist for the likes of music and film, LA-based StoryCo wants to ensure people don’t have to flip through books to find compelling stories. The company announced the launch of its collaborative storytelling solution where fans and creators alike have a say in the plot and own the intellectual property.
In addition to introducing its platform, StoryCo pulled in $6 million to help fund its growth. The company’s seed round came from lead investors Collab + Currency and Patron, alongside names in the art, media, games, entertainment and tech spaces.
StoryCo’s open platform enables creators and fans to collaborate on story franchises that never end and feature unlimited possibilities. Community members can help develop characters, plots and story arcs to build out narratives across various mediums, such as the StoryCo site or across social media platforms. The company hopes the stories people create can eventually grow as significant as franchises like Star Wars or The Simpsons.
The first interactive story launching on StoryCo’s platform is called The Disco Ball, coming in early 2023. The project was made in partnership with story architect Kyle Killen, who produced the Halo television series on Paramount+, and visual artist duo shelby and sandy. The story’s narrative follows the character Captain Alma Cooke as she and her astronauts embark on a journey that starts at the International Space Station.
Across the StoryCo platform and interactions on social media and in the real world, community members help advance the story by collaboratively solving puzzles and quests, deciphering codes and discovering artifacts that help the characters.
To participate, members need to acquire and activate an NFT called Disco Ball Storypass. Once in hand, they can earn digital art related to the story and are granted access to control the future of the story.
“We feel so fortunate to have Kyle as our first story architect working alongside shelby and sandy to create a new immersive storytelling experience,” StoryCo’s co-founders Justin and J.P. Alanís said in a statement. “We are building a new model that will drive the development of incredible new stories and allow our community of creatives and fans to contribute meaningfully to its expansion.”
StoryCo sought to create a solution that would allow creators and fans to have their voices heard. Without the same level of influence or resources as large companies in the traditional media industry, fans of legacy stories like Harry Potter and The Matrix ultimately contribute little input to how stories play out and what kinds of characters are represented, according to the company. StoryCo, on the other hand, wants to help shape the future of entertainment where community members can become co-owners of the next generation of story franchises.
