Electronic Arts at work on 'virtual reality show'

As computer graphics and interfaces grow increasingly sophisticated, it's only a matter of time before the television broadcasters latch onto the concept and graft it into shows such as American Idol.

In fact, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) recently inked a deal with reality show developer Endemol Group (Big Brother, Fear Factor, Deal or No Deal) to create a virtual playground in which game players could take on a virtual guise and compete with others in the electronic realm. At the same time, those avatars could become contestants in broadcast shows for the entertainment of viewers.

If you think Sanjaya was an outré character, imagine how far out of orbit created personas could fly? Once loosened from their fleshy prisons and the barrier of geography, the imagination of the world would be loosened on these stages.

Imagine Dancing with the Stars, in which a contestant in Bangladesh with a Nintendo Wii strapped to her leg and a USB-ported dance pad under her feet dances the rumba with Brad Pitt. Imagine an American Idol contestant, the spitting image of Elvis Presley, trying to match his timbre on Heartbreak Hotel. Imagine the catfights and carnage among a dozen avatars forced to stay on an island together, 24/7, until only one remains.

The merger of virtual reality and televised entertainment lacks only an interface, and EA is one company jumping into the breach. Success could bring profits that are more than virtual.