Bond Escapes from EA to Activision
The super spy jumps ship to join Tony Hawk and Spider-Man at Activision until the next decade.
James Bond is going through changes. Not only has Daniel Craig replaced Pierce Brosnan at the movies, but now the British agent is due new handlers in the video game realm too. After EA's recent lacklustre success with the hero, Bond is joining Spider-Man and Tony Hawk at Activision.
A new deal, announced this week, will give Bond a new home at Activision until 2014 and lets the company look to all the Bond movies and, importantly, beyond for inspiration for console, PC and handheld games. There's no word on whether Activision will have a game ready Daniel Craig's debut as the super spy in Casino Royale, which is out later this year.
Despite how well regarded the character is, people haven't been as interested in Bond's games of late. EA's most recent effort, From Russia With Love, failed at the tills despite the company luring Sean Connery back to reprise his most famous role.
The deal will come as a blow to EA, which is used to having the upper hand in long-range agreements. The company has recently signed a deal with FIFA that will see it making the only official football games around for a while, and EA is doing just as well in North America, where it has a stranglehold on American sports.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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