Newsbriefs: thatgamecompany Deals, Nikitova Hires, Capcom Promotes

Author: by Staff

Today's regularly updated newsbriefs include news of the release of a new batch of classic titles for the Wii's Virtual Console, a publishing deal between Eidos and Playlogic, a partnership between Konami and Burger King, a new announcement of an unlikely UK TV license getting a multiplatform release, a three PlayStation 3 game deal between thatgamecompany and Sony, Nikitova's new content development director, and Capcom's new brand marketing director. - Nintendo has released four “new” games for download over the Wii's Virtual Console. Purchasable from the Wii's online Wii Shop Channel, the games released today include Donkey Kong Jr.) (NES) for 500 Wii Points ($5), Victory Run (Turbografx-16) for 600 Wii Points ($6), and Columns and Ristar (Genesis), both for 800 Wii Points ($8). These games join previously released console classics such as The Legend of Zelda, Ecco the Dolphin, and Super Mario 64. - Major publisher Eidos Interactive has struck an agreement with independent publisher Playlogic Entertainment to publish Playlogic's PC RTS title Ancient Wars: Sparta and third-person shooter Infernal in the first quarter of 2007. Both titles are scheduled to be made available both at retail as well as through online distribution. Both games will be distributed by Eidos throughout the world, except from a few countries. Those exceptions are for Infernal include former USSR and Japan, and for Ancient Wars: Sparta include former USSR, Italy, Spain and Latin America. "Eidos is pleased to add Ancient Wars: Sparta and Infernal to our 2007 PC lineup in North America," commented Eidos North America's Robert Lindsey, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing. “These two eagerly awaited titles offer gamers exciting playthrough experiences, bolstered by unique graphics, physics and RTS-specific technologies unique to these titles." - Konami has become the latest video game company to partner with major fast food chain Burger King to offer a cross promotion. Recently the chain partnered with Microsoft for a trio of Xbox and Xbox 360 advergames featuring the bobble headed King mascot (a subject covered more in depth in a recent Gamasutra interview). Today Konami officials confirmed that participating Burger King restaurants nationwide will offer one of eight Dance Dance Revolution toys with each purchase of a Kids Meal from December 4 through December 31, or while supplies last. The different toys each look to try to incorporate the video game series' style and moves, such as a wrist band that displays different directional arrows, or a device that has players pressing on it with their hands or feet according to a light up arrow sequence. The move by Konami is the latest by the company to expose its DDR game series to kids as a way to promote fitness. The company recently announced partnerships with 24 Hour Fitness Clubs and the State of West Virginia, which saw DDR added to the Kids Club section of all participating venues. In addition, the deal with the State of West Virginia makes DDR a part of the official physical education curriculum in every public school in the state. - Officials from Blast! Entertainment Ltd have announced that three Game Republic studios - Revolution Studios, Gamerholix and Gamesauce - will be co-developing a new multiplatform game release based on the massively popular UK sketch comedy series Little Britain. The aptly titled Little Britain The Video Game will feature a series of eight mini-games presented as an episode of the TV show, featuring the series' most popular characters including Lou and Andy, Vicky Pollard, Mr. Mann, Emily and Florence, Marjorie Dawes, Daffyd Thomas, Judy & Maggie and Letty, all voiced by series creators Matt Lucas and David Walliams. The game is expected to be released on PC and PS2 in January 2007, with a PSP version due shortly thereafter. - According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Sony has signed a development deal with fledgling independent developer thatgamecompany (Cloud) for three titles released for the PlayStation 3 in addition to thatgamecompany's previously announced flOw. As part of this new arrangement, the four-person development team has moved to Sony's headquarters in Los Angeles, where new equipment and extra staff will be brought on to assist with the upcoming titles. flOw, which is the product of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, has players controlling abstract sea creatures as they eat and evolve to attain higher levels. The game has already achieved a degree of success in its prototype form as a Flash game on the internet, and is set to debut as a downloadable title for the PS3 over the PlayStation Network on December 19. No other information concerning the upcoming titles to be developed by thatgamecompany were released. - Officials from international outsourcing multimedia company Nikitova LLC have announced that the company has appointed Jon Hare as its content development director. In this new role, Hare will oversee the development and design of Nikitova's games and work closely with the company's game development team in helping to bring their ideas from concepts to finished products. Previously, Hare served as one of two founding members of Sensible Software (Sensible Soccer, Cannon Fodder), and has also worked as a game design consultant on titles such as Mike Tyson Heavyweight Boxing, Frontline Command, Real World Golf and Sensible Soccer 2006. “In order to strengthen Nikitova's position as a reliable development partner worldwide we decided to reinforce our team with the famous game producer Jon Hare,” commented Olya Nikitova, CEO of Nikitova LLC. “He has an outstanding insight into the European games market and the ability to contribute in this highly creative environment, providing a unique approach to game design.” - Major developer and publisher Capcom announced that the company has promoted Jack Symon to the position of brand marketing director. Symon has been with Capcom for more than three years and was most recently senior product marketing manager, where he worked on several projects including Dead Rising, Devil May Cry 3 and the upcoming Xbox 360 title, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. In his new role, Symon will be responsible for managing the product marketing team as well as overseeing broader strategy and development of Capcom's brands. - The latest updates on Gamasutra sister alt.gaming weblog GameSetWatch include a look at Nintendo's version of a popular pencil puzzler, a set of Japanese arcade game reviews, and an interview with Jeff Minter. - The latest updates from Gamasutra sister website Serious Games Source include news of 3Dsolve's plans for the 2006 Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, and Virtual Heroes honored as a 2006 Military Training Technology (MT2) Top 100 company. - Also updated today: the latest Gamasutra job postings, including openings from Activision, Centerscore, Concrete Games, Cranky Pants Games, Cryptic Studios, Emergent Game Technologies, Eurocom Developments Limited, High Moon Studios, Incinerator Studios, Juice Games, Pandemic Studios, Planet Moon Studios, Rainbow Studios, Relic Entertainment, Sierra Online, Super-Ego Games, The Art Institute of California, Ubisoft San Francisco, and Volition.