D3Publisher and DreamWorks Animation made public a deal that includes Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Rise of the Guardians and The Croods. The licensing agreement is worldwide and gives D3Publisher the rights to develop and publish videogames based on the three upcoming movies.
While THQ has given up on this type of game, D3Publisher has a catalog of titles based on the movie Despicable Me and television properties Ben 10, Victorious and Yogi Bear, among other family-friendly games. Chris Hewish, head of global interactive for DreamWorks Animation, said this track record makes D3P “an ideal interactive partner” for these movies.
Los Angeles-based D3Publisher of America Inc. is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based D3Publisher Inc., which itself is owned by Bandai Namco Games Inc.
“The upcoming video games based on the DreamWorks Animation films truly fit our commitment to making fun games that are enjoyable and accessible for the whole family across many platforms and handhelds,” said Bill Anker, vice president of business development and licensing, D3P. “We look forward to working closely with the DreamWorks Animation team to deliver an authentic and compelling gameplay experience that will take the adventures in exciting new directions inspired by the films.”
Here is how D3P describes the three games:
Madagascar 3: The Video Game will be available in June to coincide with theatrical release of the film on June 8 in North America. In an adventure-filled tour across Europe with a traveling circus, players can take on the role of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo in a journey to escape the evil clutches of crazed animal control officer Captain Chantal Dubois and return home to New York City.
Coming this holiday season 2012, DreamWorks Animation’s Rise of the Guardians is an epic adventure that tells the story of a group of heroes – each with extraordinary abilities. When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world. In the video game, players will team up as the Guardians and battle Pitch to help restore the world’s belief.
The Croods takes us back to the beginning – to a previously undiscovered era known as the Croodacious – a time when Mother Nature was still experimenting and the flora and fauna we know today had yet to evolve. At the heart of this comically chaotic world is the Crood family, led by Grug, an over-protective father who, like all dads, is doing everything he can to hold his family together as the world around them changes at a dramatic pace. The Croods is scheduled for release in the spring of 2013.
Related links:
http://www.dreamworksanimation.com
http://www.madagascarmovie.com
http://www.riseoftheguardians.com
Press release – http://www.d3publisher.us/PressDetails.asp?ID=265
