DDI, Destineer Partner For New Casual Wii Titles

UK-based publisher and developer Data Design Interactive has partnered with Minneapolis-based Destineer to publish ten of Data Design's casual Wii titles in North America. The games, including Myth Makers: Orbs of Doom, Kawasaki 4X4 Quad Bikes, Kawasaki Jet Ski, Big Rig Racer 2, London Taxi: Rush Hour, Monster Trucks: Offroad, Classic British Motor Racing, and three titles in the popular Kidz Sports series: Kidz Sports International Football, Kidz Sports Basketball, and Kidz Sports Ice Hockey, will be distributed and published under Destineer’s Bold Games label. Recently, Data Design announced the opening of Popcorn Arcade, their new studio dedicated to budget Wii titles. At that time, managing director Stewart Green emphasized the studio's push for casual gaming on the Wii, commenting that “with the incredible success of the Nintendo Wii’s casual gaming market, we want our Popcorn Arcade brand to be the must-have purchase for the casual gamer.” Earlier this year, Data Design partnered with U.S. developer Conspiracy to release other Wii titles in America, including Billy the Wizard, 3D platformer Ninjabread Man and Anubis II, and cartoon racing game Myth Makers Super Kart GP. Privately-held Destineer develops and publishes games for PC and consoles under the Destineer, MacSoft, Bold Games, and Atomic Games brands, and also creates PC-based virtual training systems for military, intelligence and first-responder organizations. The first titles from the Bold Games/DDI partnership are scheduled to be in stores by the end of the year. “Bold Games is thrilled to be working with Data Design Interactive as our entry into the Wii casual games market,” said Paul Rinde, CEO of Destineer. “The DDI titles cross all genres from sports to racing, bringing something for all type of gamers to the Wii system.”