It looks as if Sony is getting more aggressive not just with pricing and marketing, but in keeping strong relationships with 3rd party developers. In a strange and surprising move, CodeMasters announced that Sony Computer Entertainment will be taking over sales and distribution duties for the upcoming Colin McRae: Dirt 2 on both PS3 and PSP.
Similar to Sony’s move to capture the publishing rights forAtari’s Ghostbusters earlier this year, the deal will cover the SCEE PAL regions (except Spain, Australia and New Zealand), however, unlike Ghostbusters, Dirt 2 will not be a timed PlayStation exclusive and will still be released on Xbox 360, Wii and DS, alongside its PlayStation counterparts, on September 11th.
Codemasters’ senior VP of publishing for EPAC Axel Herr explained the company’s decision:
“To have Colin McRae: Dirt 2 represented by the platform holder during the new PS3 system’s launch window is testimony to the strength of the game and its commercial relevance,
“The Colin McRae series has enjoyed a great affinity with the PlayStation brand in PAL territories for over 10 years and we’re proud to have the support and ambition of SCEE behind it during this key time for both the PS3 and PSP.”
While this may seem an odd move by Sony, with there being no apparent exclusive bonuses for their systems, it will certainly be good news for the UK publisher. CodeMasters is set to benefit from the increased publishing support, as well as significant media attention.
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