Activision gears up with Race of Champions franchise

Playing to the European market’s love of auto racing, Activision has picked up a five-year license to publish vid games based on the Michelin Race of Champions-Rally Masters rally car event. The first title to come out of the deal-for PlayStation 2-will ship worldwide in the second half of 2002, with other next-gen platforms to follow.

Targeting gamers in the 12 to 24 demo, the Race of Champions line will also feature 42 well-known drivers, 21 licensed cars and five real-life racing circuits. The racing game is firmly entrenched State-side as well, snapping up roughly 10.2% of total console game sales for 2000, according to PC Data. Activision is no stranger to the category; it already has Supercar Street Challenge, Total Drivin’, Grand Tour Racing and Vigilante 8 in its interactive property portfolio.

GAME Studios breaks out of The Learning Company

In a bid to reposition itself as separate from The Learning Company moniker, the software publisher’s Entertainment Division has branched out under the new name GAME Studios. Previously focusing primarily on CD-ROM properties like Myst and Warlords, the unit’s first chore will be to build a reputation as a next-gen console software provider. To this end, GAME has two PS2 titles on its 2001 release slate-Championship Surfer in September and Legend of Alon D’ar in November.

George gets into Game Boy for his 60th birthday

The curious little monkey is turning 60 this year, and Universal Interactive Studios is tying into the event with two new vid game titles for the PlayStation and Game Boy Color platforms this fall. Targeting a core demo of kids ages six to eight, the games could be joined by other titles, possibly a line of CD-ROMs by Havas Interactive, a PC software specialist owned by Vivendi. Havas and UIS were indelibly linked late last year when Vivendi acquired Universal.

Shrek gets digitized by TDK

TDK Mediactive has inked a five-year deal with DreamWorks for the worldwide interactive game rights to Shrek. Targeting boys ages five to 12, the software studio will be releasing a Game Boy Color offering day and date with the movie in May. The game will be followed by a next-gen console title in Q4 2001. TDK expects Shrek to have a long interactive shelf life as the property features a whole slew of fairy-tale characters with attitude that can be worked into new games.