Robert Ludlum licence
Entire canon grabbed by EA, including Jason Bourne.
Guildford, UK – February 2, 2009 – Ludlum Entertainment has granted Electronic Arts, Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS) the exclusive worldwide license to create video games based on the works of Robert Ludlum, including the blockbuster Jason Bourne series. The first game to be released as part of the multi-year agreement is based on Jason Bourne and is currently in development with Starbreeze Studios in Uppsala, Sweden.
“Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne is the most exciting action hero to emerge in decades, thrilling audiences around the world,” said Mike Quigley, group vice president of marketing, EA Games Label. “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.”
“The continued global popularity of Robert Ludlum’s works is a testament to the care he lavished on his characters and storylines,” said Jeffrey Weiner, chairman and CEO of Ludlum Entertainment and executor of the Ludlum estate. “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.”
Ludlum Entertainment recently entered into a production deal with Universal Studios to produce films based on the dozens of books in the Robert Ludlum library, as well as films outside the library. The company currently has films in development at Universal, MGM, Paramount and with Summit Entertainment.
Video game veteran Matt Wolf will work with EA to oversee the creative development, production and positioning of the Ludlum Entertainment games portfolio. Ludlum entertainment was represented in the transaction by Keith Boesky of Boesky & Company.
For more information, please visit EA’s press Web site at http://info.ea.com
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About Ludlum Entertainment
Ludlum Entertainment was created to exploit the multi-platform potential of the works of the prolific, best-selling author Robert Ludlum. Ludlum’s stories, including the Jason Bourne and Covert One series, are set on a global stage and feature multiple interlocking storylines, making them ideal for expression across a wide range of mediums, including books, video games, film and television. His books have sold more than 290 million copies globally and have been translated into 32 languages since 1971. The Jason Bourne movies, starring Matt Damon, have grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide to date. Ludlum Entertainment and Universal Pictures recently entered into a long-term agreement which gives Universal the exclusive rights to continue making films based on the Jason Bourne character.
About Starbreeze Studios
Starbreeze is a videogame developer based in Uppsala, Sweden. The studio was founded in 1998 and currently employs a staff of 95. The team has developed numerous action/adventure games, including 2004’s "The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay" (Xbox and PC) which reached a 90% Metacritic rating, and 2007’s "The Darkness" (Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION®3) which reached an 82% Metacritic rating.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS Freestyle TM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO are trademarks or registered trademark in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.