Primitives, the Belgium-headquartered specialist TV formats distributor, has acquired the worldwide format rights (excluding German-speaking Europe) to Terrain: Battle of the Flags, a premium adventure-reality competition inspired by gaming mechanics from German public broadcaster ZDF and award-winning Belgian production company Roses Are Blue.
Terrain: Battle of the Flags (10 x 25’) will roll out in Germany this autumn. The first three episodes will premiere simultaneously on ZDF's streaming platform on September 24th. On YouTube, viewers can watch episode one on launch day, followed by episode two the next day and episode three the day after. The series will receive its linear premiere on ZDFneo as part of a multiplatform launch designed to maximise audience engagement. Primitives will present the format to international buyers in the run-up to MIPCOM in Cannes this October.
Created by German comedian, actor, writer and YouTube creator Torge Oelrich — better known to his millions of subscribers and followers as Freshtorge — Terrain: Battle of the Flags re-imagines the experience of competitive gaming in the real world. Developed in collaboration with Roses Are Blue to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Freshtorge's popular YouTube channel, the format blends an expansive outdoor game world with strategy, technological innovation and immersive visual storytelling.
The action centres on 10 high-profile content creators divided into two teams of five, which compete over several days in a purpose-built game environment set against the dramatic backdrop of the Scottish Highlands. Their mission is simple: capture the opposing teams' flags while defending their own. Unlike many reality competition formats, the gameplay does not revolve around forming, breaking or changing alliances. The teams remain fixed throughout the competition.
Terrain: Battle of the Flags also breaks new ground technically. The contestants not only self-shoot their experience but also wear specially developed third-person camera systems integrated into bespoke vests. This creates a distinctive aesthetic identity and viewing perspective, inspired by the look and feel of video games. The result is an immersive format that delivers the intensity of adventure reality through the visual language of gaming.
Designed as a true multi-platform property, Terrain: Battle of the Flags extends well beyond the main episodes. Dedicated companion content will be produced for a standalone YouTube channel, while additional ‘reaction programming’ will be available via ZDF's Twitch channel, creating multiple touchpoints for audiences and expanding the opportunities for engagement.
Thorsten Haas, head of development entertainment at ZDF, said: "Terrain: Battle of the Flags brings together several elements we are keen to explore at ZDF: creator-driven storytelling, innovative production techniques and a genuine multiplatform approach. Having the creators film much of the action themselves creates a level of authenticity and immediacy that is particularly exciting for younger audiences. We are also delighted to be working with Torge Oelrich again and to continue a collaboration that has already resulted in successful projects in the past. Seeing a format emerge that builds upon a close and long-standing partnership while venturing into new territory — or should I say terrain? — is truly exciting.”
Ina Eck, founding managing director of Roses Are Blue Germany, said: “Torge and I developed Terrain with our team at Roses Are Blue with one clear ambition: to create a new entertainment IP that translates the logic, pace and visual language of gaming into the real world. At its heart are creators who understand gaming instinctively. They recognise systems immediately, test their limits and discover strategies we could never have scripted. That is what makes the format feel so dynamic, authentic and unpredictable. I am genuinely thrilled with the result. What began as a shared idea has become a complete world that is even more exciting and entertaining than we imagined.”
Simone de Pruyssenaere de la Woestyne, managing director of Primitives, said: "Terrain: Battle of the Flags is exactly the kind of format we aspire to bring to the international market. It captures the excitement, strategy and visual language of gaming in a premium unscripted format, while its creator-driven cast and multiplatform approach make it a natural fit for today's digital audiences. This format also offers partners a fresh way to connect with viewers across television, streaming and social platforms."
Login