Halo gets esports reality show from ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ creators

One of Microsoft’s biggest gaming properties is getting its own reality show.

Halo studio 343 Industries is partnering with Pilgrim Media on a reality-competition esports series for Halo 5: Guardians. This is the first production to come out of Pilgrim’s previously announced collaboration with Hollywood studio Lionsgate and esports organization ESL to create content related to professional gaming — although the industry has seen reality-competition shows before with PlayStation’s The Tester. Pilgrim is responsible for the Ulitimate Fighting Championships reality-competition show The Ultimate Fighter, and it’s likely that the Halo program will have a similar vibe to that mixed-martial-arts show. With the Halo production, Microsft, Pilgrim, and Lionsgate are taking a major step into a growing esports business that some analysts predict could generate as much as $1 billion in revenue by 2018.

“We continue to be blown away by the sheer excitement surrounding esports; the scope and buzz are growing every day,” Pilgrim chief executive Craig Piligian said in a statement. “Esports and Halo fans are exceedingly passionate about gaming and devoted to their favorite titles and franchises — they are exactly the kind of audience we want to produce for.”

While the show is going into production, Pilgrim did not specify when or where it will air, but the company is making it with television in mind.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Pilgrim on developing a reality series that will bring the intensity and extreme competition of Halo 5: Guardians esports to a television audience,” 343 Industries transmedia boss Kiki Wolfkill said. “There is no better partner than Pilgrim to give our fans insight into the world of Halo esports.”

Halo’s more traditional esports tournaments will continue on, and fans can catch the Halo Championship Series Pro League Finals starting December 10 and livestreaming on Twitch.