Nintendo Invests in Silicon Knights

Nintendo of America announced today that it has entered into a strategic equity investment with Silicon Knights, a company of film and video game artists based in Ontario, Canada. Effective immediately, the agreement makes Silicon Knights an exclusive, long-term partner of Nintendo. Silicon Knights already has several titles in its portfolio, including Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, Fantasy Empires, Dark Legions, and Cyber Empires. The first title to come out of new alliance is Eternal Darkness, a Nintendo 64 cart slated for release at the end of October. Silicon Knights and Nintendo are describing Eternal Darkness as a time-crossing "psychological thriller," with the player battling various shades of evil. The title features real-time cutscenes, creative cinematography, and immersive storylines.

Silicon Knights has also signed on to create software for Nintendo's new Dolphin system. Specific information is unavailable at this time, but Nintendo of America's president Minoru Arakawa promises that it will be made public sometime over the next year. Both companies believe that the union will produce games that "will surprise and amaze gamers introduce yet another dimension of gameplay."