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Work on canned Bourne game 'Treadstone' revealed in vid
A reel showing off some rough in-game footage of Treadstone is making the rounds after being found by Superannuation. If you're suffering from a mild case of video game amnesia, allow us to refresh your memory: Three years ago, Treadstone was a multiplayer-focused title set in Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne universe being developed by Radical Entertainment. If you're wondering why Treadstone was abandoned, one needs to recall the geopolitical business of games industry in 2008. At the time, Activision was cleaning house of the properties it obtained during the Vivendi merger and the Bourne IP was dumped back to Ludlum Entertainment. A short time later, Bourne landed at EA and ... well, that apparently hasn't gone much better. Check out Radical's Treadstone work after the break.
Bourne is born again at EA
Assassin Jason Bourne has been detained by EA, as the publisher announced today it now holds "exclusive worldwide license" to games based on the works of Robert Ludlum. Starbreeze Studios, best known for the Riddick games and The Darkness, is handling the first Bourne title in the multi-year agreement between EA and Ludlum Entertainment.EA gained the opportunity to pick up the Bourne license after Activision-Blizzard dropped the series to focus on its own machismo spy: Bond ... James Bond. This whole licensing reshuffle also leaves the rumored multiplayer Treadstone title, allegedly in development by Radical Entertainment, in an even more unclear position. There's currently no indication on when the new Bourne game will punch and parkour its way to stores.
'What is Treadstone?' A multiplayer Bourne sequel, apparently
While investigating the digital fate of Sierra's Bourne franchise – which, after being passed over by Bond-owning Activision Blizzard, returned to Ludlum Entertainment – Variety's Ben Fritz uncovered details on "Treadstone," the sequel to High Moon Entertainment's recent console debut, already under development at fellow Sierra developers Radical Entertainment."What is Treadstone?" you ask, in your best Matt Damon impersonation. According to Variety "it's a multi-player online game set in the world of the spy agency that trained Bourne." We'll assume that contraction is short for "it was" because, whad'ya know, "production has stopped" on the project. Perhaps once Ludlum Entertainment finds a new publisher for Bourne, whatever work Radical has already invested in "Treadstone" will find a new home, but that sounds unlikely to us. Instead, Treadstone will exist in that one place where They can never take it away from us: our imaginations.
Bourne game rights forget Vivendi, return to Ludlum Entertainment
With Blizzavision cleaning house of all the Vivendi properties it doesn't want, the Bourne game rights have been reqacquired by Ludlum Entertainment, the company handling Bourne author Robert Ludlum's properties. The Bourne Conspiracy was the only game to come out of the original Vivendi deal, and Ludlum Entertainment CEO, Jeffrey Weiner, says the success of the title will cause the company to find new "innovative partners in the gaming community."The short version of why Actilizzard doesn't really care about Bourne: The company already has its own super-spy franchise to worry about. A man named Bond ... James Bond.
The Bourne Conspiracy snipes a PS3 release [Update]
Yes folks, another tie-in. The Bourne Ultimatum is coming to theaters this summer while a different, next-gen offering The Bourne Conspiracy, hits PS3 and Xbox 360 next year in 2008. The game is tailoring its plot around Jason Bourne's identity, borrowing heavily from source materials of ... The Bourne Identity. We don't fully understand why Ludlum Entertainment doesn't just call the game The Bourne Identity, other than perhaps to induce confusion amongst the franchise titles. Considering the first film already has a well-established fan base, it would seem starting the game franchise at the base level and allowing sequels to follow the film release time line would make more sense. But hey, we don't make games, we just play 'em. What do we know? Fans of The Bourne Identity novel and film reiteration will also notice new story elements added to the game. For example, the game will include the pivotal moment when Jason Bourne first learns his identity and the discovery of the overabundant cans of whoopin' he has at his disposal. No release date yet, but expect to hear more on this after The Bourne Ultimatum's release this summer and subsequent (and highly likely) DVD release.[Update: The Bourne Ultimatum is coming to theaters this summer. The Bourne Conspiracy is the game title only, of which there has yet to be a film reiteration. Corrections made to the post clarifying this. Thanks, The Sh0wstopper & Jon K]
