Konami announces King Arthur

Having already conquered film and television, über producer Jerry Bruckheimer is taking another stab at the game game. Today, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Buena Vista Games announced plans to create a cross-console action title based on their upcoming medieval actioner, King Arthur.

King Arthur won't be the first time a Bruckheimer property has been adapted into a game. Ubisoft has published two PC games based on his hit show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. In 2003, Bethesda Softworks and Akella released an action RPG bearing the name of the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean which gamers greeted with indifference. Empire Interactive had planned to release a console and PC actioner based on Bad Boys II last year as well, but the game has since lingered in development limbo.

Given his checkered past with games and King Arthur's large budget--reportedly in excess of $85 million--Bruckheimer is taking no chances this time around. In partnership with Buena Vista games, veteran publisher Konami will bring the film to the small screen this time around, with Krome Studios on board as developer. The game will be released for all three major consoles--the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube.

Like the movie, the King Arthur game will be free of the sorcery usually associated with Arthurian legend. Instead, the game will incorporate the realities of the era which Arthur allegedly lived--when Romans occupied much of Britain and druidism was the dominant religion. According to Konami, the game will incorporate costumes, sets, and scenery from the film a la Electronic Arts Lord of the Rings games.

As far as gameplay is concerned, players take control of one of four Knights of the Round Table--Arthur, Lancelot, Tristren, or Bors. They will also be able to play as Guinevere, who is portrayed as a fierce pagan warrior-princess in the film. Missions, which will be drawn from chapters of the legend, will be able to be played either single-player or cooperatively. King Arthur will also feature both combat on foot and on horseback.

“Having seen early footage of the film, it’s clear this is going to be an adventure that will translate well into a great action video game,” said Konami America's Chief Operating Officer Geoff Mulligan.

King Arthur the game will be released in fall 2004, and it will be on display at Konami's booth at E3. King Arthur the film will hit theaters on July 7. Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), it will star Croupier's Clive Owen as Arthur and Keira Knightley as Guinevere.