National Geographic Gets into the Gaming Business; First Release “Herod’s Lost Tomb” Launches Today

Looks like National Geographic is getting into the gaming business, and have launched their own gaming company, National Geographic Games (NGG), which will publish and develop games across major gaming console, handheld, online and mobile platforms. The purpose of these games is to not only extend the National Geographic Society’s mission but to also reach out to people in a different way to get them interested in caring for the planet and its inhabitants.

Working with publishers such as Namco Bandai, Sony and Merscom, their goal is to create fun, high-quality games based on National Geographic’s core themes and media properties. The team they have assembled so far includes Chris Mate, former Take2 Interactive and Bethesda Softworks executive, who will from here on out be known as vice president and general manager for NGG and will oversee and manage the group’s daily global operations.

To kick things off, NGG along with Merscom have launched their first in-house produced game, Herod’s Lost Tomb which is based upon and highlights content from the upcoming December 2008 issue of National Geographic Magazine as well as the broadcast special on the biblical figure King Herod which airs November 23. This hidden-object game takes you on an archeological dig to which promises to give you a the experience of a real-life archaeological adventure. The game features photography from National Geographic, a story following  the life and death of one of the most famous rulers of the ancient Middle East, King Herod of Judea, and consists of over one thousand objects to discover, six different environment, and five mini-games with footage, scenes and highlights from the show.

The game will be available online in a flash version for free via the National Geographic Channel and for the PC, Mac and iPhone which includes full features and high production content.

National Geographic Games Release Schedule:

November

• National Geographic – “Herod’s Lost Tomb”
• Namco Bandai – “National Geographic: Panda”
• Sony – “National Geographic: Africa”

December 2008

• National Geographic – “Sudoku Traveler: China”

2009

• National Geographic – “Rain Forests”
• National Geographic – “Greencity”

I wonder if my magazine and channel subscription would give me a discount? Probably not.