Apparently authors signing away their rights to video game publishers has become commonplace. Robert Ludlam has now decided to follow in Tom Clancy’s footsteps by doing just that as it has just been announced that Ludlam Entertainment has granted exclusive rights to Electronic Arts to create video games based on the works of Robert Ludlam. The first game to be released under this new deal, is to be based around Jason Bourne, and the game is currently in development in Starbreeze Studios in Uppsala, Sweden.
Apparently Robert Ludlam was not at hand to comment, so instead they got the Group Vice President of Marketing, EA Games Label, Mike Quigley to fill out the PR comment form and add in Robert Ludlam and Jason Bourne:
“Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne is the most exciting action hero to emerge in decades, thrilling audiences around the world. EA is excited to enter into a long-term relationship with Ludlum Entertainment, bringing the action, intrigue and intensity of Robert Ludlum’s fiction to life for casual and core gamers around the globe.â€
For casual AND core gamers huh? Wow, that doesn’t sound like meaningless PR speak at all! Finally we will have a gaming series that bridges the seemingly ‘unbridgeable’ gap!
Here is a quote from Jeffery Weiner, the Chairman and CEO of Ludlam Entertainment, literally (not literally) kissing the collective ass of EA Games and Robert Ludlam at the same time:
“The continued global popularity of Robert Ludlum’s works is a testament to the care he lavished on his characters and storylines. Robert Ludlum made thrilling stories accessible and real. EA has brought that same level of realism to the gaming world. We are confident EA‘s unparalleled production ability and marketing reach will establish the Jason Bourne Series in games as powerfully and successfully as it exists in books and film.â€
Well great. Now we can have some fantastically realistic games that blend the styles of hardcore and casual gaming into one awesome package all revolving around a popular book / movie franchise!? How could this EVER go wrong?
