National Geographic gets into gaming

Historical and wildlife games, backed up by TV and print, promised

A brand new game development studio has been founded today we hear, but the group backing the new studio aren't one of the big publishers, platform holders, or even an over ambitious film studio - its National Geographic, in fact.

Magazine publisher and broadcaster National Geographic will first release Herod's Lost Tomb for the PC, Mac and iPhone, which will be cunningly complimented by December magazine issues and TV coverage on historical figure King Herod.

Future titles will be created for the Wii and PS3, we hear, and NG will seek out partnerships with other game makers.

National Geographic Panda will roll onto the DS at the end of the month stateside s part of this, while former Take-Two chief Chris Mate will head up the ambitious new studio.

By Luke Guttridge