Namco Bandai expands publishing deal with Codemasters

<p><a class&equals;"zem&lowbar;slink" title&equals;"Namco Bandai Games" href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;en&period;wikipedia&period;org&sol;wiki&sol;Namco&lowbar;Bandai&lowbar;Games" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"wikipedia">Namco Bandai<&sol;a> has announced the signing of a deal to publish upcoming titles from UK-based publisher and developer <a class&equals;"zem&lowbar;slink" title&equals;"Codemasters" href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;codemasters&period;co&period;uk&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"homepage">Codemasters<&sol;a> across Europe and Australasia&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The announced deal is actually the expansion of a partnership initially formed between the two companies in 2010&comma; and according to a press release&comma; will see&colon;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Namco Bandai distribute GRID 2&comma; the much anticipated sequel to the acclaimed BAFTA award-winning title&comma; in every key territory of continental Europe&comma; including United Kingdom&comma; Ireland&comma; France&comma; Germany&comma; Russia&comma; Italy&comma; Spain&comma; Portugal&comma; Greece&comma; Austria&comma; Switzerland and parts of Eastern Europe&comma; the entire Benelux and Nordic regions&comma; plus Australia and New Zealand&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em>Grid 2<&sol;em>&comma; the sequel to 2008&&num;8217&semi;s <em><a class&equals;"zem&lowbar;slink" title&equals;"Race Driver&colon; Grid" href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;en&period;wikipedia&period;org&sol;wiki&sol;Race&lowbar;Driver&percnt;3A&lowbar;Grid" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"wikipedia">Race Driver&colon; Grid<&sol;a><&sol;em> and scheduled for release on PS3&comma; Xbox 360 and PC in May&comma; is not the only game included within the deal&comma; which apparently also includes other &&num;8220&semi;major forthcoming games to be published by Codemasters on its Codemasters Racing label&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Speaking of the partnership between the two companies&comma; Rod Cousens&comma; CEO of Codemasters&comma; said&comma; &&num;8220&semi;We have progressed our relationship with <a class&equals;"zem&lowbar;slink" title&equals;"Namco Bandai Partners" href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;en&period;wikipedia&period;org&sol;wiki&sol;Namco&lowbar;Bandai&lowbar;Partners" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"wikipedia">Namco Bandai Partners<&sol;a> for more than two years and&comma; during that time&comma; we have expanded territorial reach&comma; which has worked well&period; We are now able to build on this and further extend our relationship to embrace more countries&comma; including the UK and functions&period; By working together in this fashion we play to each other’s strengths and are trailblazing an arrangement which is likely to become more prevalent in a borderless industry&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<div class&equals;"zemanta-pixie" style&equals;"margin-top&colon; 10px&semi; height&colon; 15px&semi;"><img class&equals;"zemanta-pixie-img" style&equals;"border&colon; none&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" alt&equals;"" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;img&period;zemanta&period;com&sol;pixy&period;gif&quest;x-id&equals;744e2f98-cc01-4b0d-9088-242cf2445134" &sol;><&sol;div>&NewLine;