With scripted scenes, live RPG elements, and a cast of Twitch superstars, The Unleashed created a brand new world for a unique live medium.
The Magic of the Unleashed
Back in 2020, I got a call from Meghan Camarena, an incredible influencer, actress and streamer that I had befriended during my time with Power Rangers. She told me that she and a few of her friends wanted to create a new kind of RPG show, one that existed as a hybrid between live improv style role playing and a scripted storyline, set in a brand new world. And she wanted me to help them create it.
We had both had parts in something similar before. When I was with Power Rangers, I had worked with a company called HyperRPG, who hosts an diverse amount of live content on Twitch, to co-create Power Rangers: HyperForce. With the help of Hyper RPG All-Stars Zac Eubanks and Malika Lim and a talented cast and crew that included Meghan as the Pink Ranger, HyperForce became a love letter to the Power Rangers fandom during it’s 25th anniversary, beloved by fans and RPG lovers alike.
During that time, I fell in love with the twitch world, and I couldn’t wait to dive back in again.
A Team of All-Stars
Along with Meghan, also on board were Mika Midgett and Shelby Grace, twitch and youtube superstars and RPG veterans. Taking up the role of GameMaster was Aabria Iyengar, a legend in the TTRPG community, who wove together worlds and adventures with glittery prose and finesse. With the creative team formed, which also included producer/director Lina Madrid, among others, we set about creating the world of Riftside, a pocket dimension filled with superheroes who stayed hidden from those who would harm them. Added to the mix were artists such as Zachary Sterling, Luke Duo and Jenna Gray, who brought to the life the characters in animation.
Added to our cast were two talented actors: Mike Bow, who played the one boy in the friend group, and Christopher Sean, our magnetic villain. Their inclusion elevated the show to a quality I could never have imagined. Both were not as experienced in live role play, but they picked it up with an ease that was remarkable.
With the elements in place, our weird little hybrid of a show was put together.
The Unleashed premiered in October 2020 as a Twitch premiere exclusive. Episode 01 had over half a million views alone. What started as a passion project became an phenomenon thanks to the passion of the fans, who embraced the mix of scripted and live storytelling, the role play, and the choices they were given to help guide the story. It remains one of my favorite projects to date. I can’t wait to go back to Riftside.
