Bethesda Parent Company Goes the DS Way

Bethesda Studios, best known as the creators of Oblivion with its many installments and engaging universe, is part of Zenimax, a game developing conglomerate that aims to create videogames for a variety of platforms. Having covered the PC and the game consoles with the people at Bethesda, who are now laboring away on Fallout 3, the executives of Zenimax are seeking new platforms on which to develop games.

They have recently announced that their Vir2L Studios, that previously only produced mobile games based on Bethesda's intellectual property, like the The Elder Scrolls Travels series, will be moving onto something entirely different. While mobile games will continue to be developed and published, the Nintendo DS has also become a platform of choice for Vir2L Studios. Other handhelds could also be targeted in the near future by the same developer.

They have two titles that are currently nearing completion. The upcoming sports games, called AMF Bowling: Pinbusters! and Ducati Moto, will both include multiplayer gaming via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, while also offering engaging and interesting gameplay based on the unique control capabilities of the Nintendo DS.

AMF Bowling Pinbusters! has twelve playable characters each with a unique style of bowling and signature moves. There are four single player modes and a wide variety of bowling alleys to choose from. Ducati Moto will include 11 Ducati-only race bikes that can be taken out by eight unique characters to locations such as Hong Kong, Italy and Morocco. Expect both speed tracks and dirt racks that will highlight the exciting world of motorbike racing.

In August last year, Zenimax also created an on-line games division, which is headed by Matt Firor, former Mythic Entertainment co-founder and Dark Age of Camelot producer. The division is expected to deliver an on-line game early in 2009, although no details are yet available on the project.

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