Vivendi Universal to distribute Empire's games

Vivendi Universal Publishing has announced that it has reached an agreement with Empire Interactive to distribute such games as End Game and Ghostmaster in North America. Additional titles listed under the agreement, which includes a total of 15 SKUs, are Victorious Boxers, End Game, Antz Racing, Starsky & Hutch, Ghostmaster, and World Sports Cars. These titles are planned for multiple next-generation consoles and the PC platform.

"This deal is a major endorsement of the titles we are developing," said Ian Higgins, CEO of Empire Interactive. "It illustrates Empire's potential for significant growth and gives us the opportunity to challenge the larger players in the market. The combination of mainstream titles for multiple platforms, together with the strength of VU Publishing's distribution network, opens an exciting new chapter in Empire's history at a time when the games market is set for dramatic growth."

"Empire Interactive's history of developing compelling and profitable titles for multiple platforms makes this partnership a natural fit," added Philip O'Neil, senior vice president of Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing North America. "We look forward to leveraging Empire's development strengths to further our commitment to creating and delivering a wide variety of games for consumers of all ages."

The first games to be released under this agreement will arrive this fall. GameSpot will have more on Empire Interactive's games in the coming weeks.