Activision will be opening a dedicated studio facility on the DreamWorks Animation campus in Glendale, California, following on the heels of their strategic alliance. The move, which establishes an unprecedented level of collaboration between a Hollywood studio and a videogame company, will facilitate simultaneous co-development between DreamWorks' 3D-animated features and Activision games based on those films.
"This announcement marks an unparalleled step in the convergence between Hollywood and videogames," stated Robert Kotick, chairman and ceo, Activision Inc. "For the first time, we will be able to align our games' production schedules with the movies' from the pre-production phase onward. This will allow us to fully leverage the movie assets and storylines, in addition to collaborating closely with the talented production teams at DreamWorks to develop storylines that expand the movie experience in new and compelling ways."
"We're excited to have the game designers and film creators exchanging ideas on a daily basis," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, ceo of DreamWorks Animation. "We hope to create an immersive atmosphere that will help us continue to produce the finest in cutting-edge video games with Activision."
In November 2005, Activision signed a multi-year agreement with DreamWorks Animation for the exclusive video game rights to all current and future console platforms, PC and handheld devices for DreamWorks' upcoming feature films: BEE MOVIE, KUNG FU PANDA, REX HAVOC AND HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. The deal also extended Activision's rights beyond SHREK THE THIRD to include potential future films in the SHREK franchise. The company's alliance with DreamWorks has resulted in more than $300 million in videogame sales worldwide.
DreamWorks Animation SKG is principally devoted to developing and producing CG-animated, feature films.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Inc. (www.activision.com) is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, Scandinavia, Spain and the Netherlands.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
