It’s no secret that there are some folks (okay, a lot of folks) who think that video games are detrimental to the public. The laundry list of things some critics believe about why they’re “bad for you” is about a mile long. Games have been accused of everything from contributing to violence to simply making kids antisocial. But the truth of the matter is, there is no direct correlation between games and these kinds of negative effects. While many of us in the gaming community already know that, there is a new eight-part documentary series titled: Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed that is about to bring that knowledge about and love of games to a larger audience. Check out the trailer above!

The project is directed, written, and produced by Jeremy Snead, with Brett Womble, Dustin Womble, and familiar face Sean Astin on board as executive producers. As you already saw in the trailer, the cast is packed with stars like Michael Rooker, Matt Walsh, Kevin Smith, William Shatner, and more. In addition to the star-studded cast, the project features games industry vets like Shigeru Myamoto (Donkey Kong, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda), Palmer Luckey (the Oculus Rift), Vince Zampella (Titanfall, Call of Duty), and more, as well as our Nerdist pals Malik Forté and Michele Morrow, who are now hosts of Bleacher Report’s E-sports show.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Video games have gone from an obscure science experiment in the early 1960’s to the biggest entertainment medium on the planet. Unlocked is an eight part documentary series that provides firsthand stories by industry icons, celebrities, consumers, and field experts on the culture, technology, history. and future of the video game industry.

“My goal in creating Unlocked has been to uncover the largely undiscovered landscape of the gaming industry through 8 curious celebrity hosts,” director Jeremy Sean said. “From PONG, to Xbox One, to virtual reality, I want our audience to be educated and entertained as they are immersed into the multi-faceted world of gaming.”

He continued, “I will never forget the first video game I ever played and how it changed my perception of entertainment and storytelling. Like every other human, I love experiencing a great story, in any format. Video Games deliver stories and interactive experiences in a way that no other medium can and I think this is a reality that many people still do not understand or accept.”

The eight-part documentary series is set to release on December 15, 2016. For a full run down on what the cast will be up to during the series, check out the gallery below.

Will you be checking out Unlocked? What are your thoughts on video game? Let us know in the comments below, join the conversation on Facebook. or start one with me on Twitter: @Samantha_Sofka.

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