VU Games, Konami Announce Japanese Distribution Deal

Konami Japan has announced a new business arrangement in which it will distribute a number of Vivendi Universal Games' console titles in the Japanese territory. VU Games will remain the publisher for this deal, which include street dates in 2004 for the PlayStation 2 title Van Helsing, the Game Boy Advance game Spyro Orange: The Cortex Conspiracy, PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance versions of Crash Bandicoot titles, as well as a 2005 debut for the Japanese-developed PlayStation 2 game Red Ninja: End of Honor. Vivendi Universal Games CEO Bruce Hack indicates this deal is important to VU Games' profile in Japan, since: "Konami's strong distribution network will greatly increase our exposure in this key region."