industry news
Vivendi Gives Bourne Back To Ludlum
Posted by Mike Fahey at 3:40 AM on July 31, 2008
As a part of Activision's continuing offloading of Sierra properties, Ludlum Entertainment has required the rights to create games based off of the works of Robert Ludlum. These include the Bourne series and Covert One, both of which excited Crecente to no end when Vivendi first announced them back in 2005. Now three years and one measly game later the ball is back in Ludlum's court.
"Our colleagues at Vivendi Games did a tremendous job of capturing the spirit and allure of Robert Ludlum's writing with The Bourne Conspiracy and the gaming community's strong response is clear indication that future Ludlum games will deliver both popularity and profitability for years to come", commented Jeffrey Weiner, CEO of Ludlum Entertainment.
Weiner went on to say that the company looked forward to working with other partners in the future.
Ludlum estate reacquires Bourne game rights from Vivendi [GamesIndustry.biz]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Jellocakes
Posted 4:21 AM 31/7/08
The Bourne game tanked at retail and Activision has the Bond license to which it can cash in on so it's parting ways with the franchise.
There were supposed to be more games in the pipeline for the Bourne series if it were a success but after it's failure Activision saw it as a dud. They are going to need more than luck to get more games made off Ludlums work as Ubisoft has Tom Clancy which takes the lions share of this genre.
Jellocakes
stryker1800
Posted 4:20 AM 31/7/08
@Koztah: i have a feeling youre gonna get some fanboy attack for that
stryker1800
Koztah
Posted 4:18 AM 31/7/08
@Koztah:
*as good a writer
Koztah
Koztah
Posted 4:16 AM 31/7/08
@subnet6: Eric Van Lustbader is about a good a writer as Ian Flemming.
Which is to say, he writes like a 5th grader.
Koztah
Klopfer123
Posted 4:10 AM 31/7/08
The game was quite good, sure it wasn't amazing but it was fun.
Klopfer123
subnet6
Posted 4:09 AM 31/7/08
A little off topic, but that book pictured, by Eric Van Lustbader just didn't hold up to the others in the series. I recognize he did a good job of trying to imitate ludlums style, but his substance just wasn't up to what I was used to.
subnet6
Wolf_Dog
Posted 4:06 AM 31/7/08
Time for ubisoft to step in!!
Tom Clancy'z: Robert Ludlum'z: Bourne Legacy
You heard it here first.
Wolf_Dog
Chances
Posted 4:05 AM 31/7/08
"the gaming community's strong response"?
Yuh-huh. I went there.
Chances
Just_as_planned
Posted 4:00 AM 31/7/08
there's this porno called Porne ultimatum. It's pretty good. The hero looks exactly like Matt Damon.
Just_as_planned
Biscuitcleaver
Posted 4:42 AM 31/7/08
I'd love to see what else we could do with the bourne series in video game form.
How does one pronounce Jeff Weiner?
Biscuitcleaver
beem
Posted 4:30 AM 31/7/08
@Sullyville:
For the gazillionth time, IT'S NOT A SHOOTER. Get your facts straight.
beem
Sullyville
Posted 4:29 AM 31/7/08
I wanted to try this, and I might still,
but I just didn;t like the idea of playing
a shooter on anything but my PC.
Sullyville
dry-roasted-peanuts
Posted 4:27 AM 31/7/08
I liked the demo of the game, but just didn't think it was worth $60. When I see it around (preferably new) for $30, I'll absolutely pick it up.
dry-roasted-peanuts
subnet6
Posted 5:33 AM 31/7/08
@koztah,
Not the most eloquent comment in the world, but an interesting one. I haven't read anything else by Van Lustbader but I've read a lot of Ludlum. :)
And fifth grade writing doesn't have to be bad. I would consider Eoin Colfer to write like a 5th grader, but the Artemis Fowl stories are still good fun. :)
subnet6
Koztah
Posted 5:31 AM 31/7/08
@stryker1800:
I hope so, because that's when I start scanning and posting pages from Van Lustbaders "The Ninja".
Koztah
zaagis
Posted 5:28 AM 31/7/08
@beem:
Since when SHOOTing guys in the face with a shotgun isnt a shooter anymore, smartass?
zaagis
SmokeFemur
Posted 5:16 AM 31/7/08
I hate to nitpick, but I have a serious question. Required = To re acquire? Or is the word just, Reacquire?
SmokeFemur
TheCleaningGuy
Posted 5:51 AM 31/7/08
@TheCleaningGuy: Damn, I meant Bourne Conspiracy.
TheCleaningGuy
TheCleaningGuy
Posted 5:50 AM 31/7/08
@Koztah: I hate Eric Van Lustbader. Worst thing to ever happen to a good trilogy.
It's a shame about Vivendi giving back the Bourne licence, I would have liked to see a better sequel to the Bourne Ultimatum.
TheCleaningGuy
B1663R
Posted 5:43 AM 31/7/08
@subnet6: Legacy sucked pretty bad. Betrayal was ok.
oh hey that reminds me! the Bourne sanction was suppose to come out yesterday.
ahh, airport novels, where would we be without you...
B1663R
amarney
Posted 6:16 AM 31/7/08
Eric Van Lustbader put his neat fantasy/SF epic on hold to write Bourne stuff. He should finish his dang story.
amarney
BlackIceJoe
Posted 6:40 AM 31/7/08
I wonder how long before EA makes a bid to make games of the books. Though I would love to see what Naughy Dog could do with the series.
BlackIceJoe
icandigthat
Posted 6:40 AM 31/7/08
Lustbader really didn't have much choice, he was picking up the story after the most interesting characters had been killed off. Unfortunately his continuing the Bourne's hasn't produced the best results. That said, i still picked up the Bourne Sanction yesterday and what i've read so far is good enough.
Can someone tell me, did the Bourne Conspiracy game have anything to do with Carlos the Jackal or was the best character of the novels omitted from the game like he was from the movies?
icandigthat
stryker1800
Posted 8:29 AM 31/7/08
@Koztah: just wanted to make sure you were prepared. lol
stryker1800