EA announced today that they’ll be co-publishing Flagship Studios’ upcoming Hellgate: London with Namco Bandai. Specifically, EA will handle marketing, sales and distribution, while Namco will continue helping Flagship with the development of the game.
Makoto Iwai, Senior Vice President of Namco Bandai, promised that the partnership will fully support the game, "Hellgate: London is more than just a highly-anticipated PC game. It is the cornerstone of a franchise and that requires a different approach than the average product. With an industry-leading marketing and sales network, our co-publisher EA brings expert knowledge and resources to our partnership that will ensure this AAA title will reach the largest market possible."
David DeMartini, Vice President and GM of EA Partners, exclaimed his excitement for the deal, "We are thrilled that Namco Bandai chose EA as its partner on this highly-anticipated game. We are very excited to be involved with Flagship Studios’ first title. The talent at Flagship Studios and Namco Bandai, combined with EA’s marketing expertise and publishing resources sets the stage for a blockbuster worldwide launch."
Bill Roper, CEO of Flagship Studios, praised the deal, "This partnership assures the best possible outcome for Hellgate: London from both a development and customer-reach standpoint. By working with both companies in their undisputable areas of strength and expertise, we can bring the game to as many people as possible while maintaining our development focus and schedule at Flagship Studios."
Along with that announcement, Flagship announced the third playable class for Hellgate: London today. Joining the already announced Cabalist and Templar, the new class is the Hunter. Hunters, comprised of ex-military operatives and agents, primarily stick to the shadows and attack from long-range. A release date is still not known for the game, but it is expected to hit shelves in 2007.
