Sega Announces Multiplatform Thor: The Video Game

The comic book video game boom appears to show no signs of slowing, as Sega of America and Sega Europe today announced a multiplatform third-person title in development based on Marvel's Thor character and universe. Writer and lead Thor comic author Matt Fraction is on board as story consultant for Thor: The Video Game, which Sega describes as an "epic-scale original third-person adventure." The game challenges the titular hero to battle through the worlds of Norse mythology on a quest to save Asgard, the city of the gods. Players use Thor's legendary hammer, Mjolnir, as a weapon, and the hero's also capable of wielding weather elements like thunder, lighting and wind. The title's slated for a 2011 launch on five major platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PSP and Nintendo DS, and Sega promises that each edition will be "uniquely suited for its platform." In particular, the company says the Wii game will feature the same overall narrative, but with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controls, the battle experience will be different. The Wii and PSP versions will also incorporate what Sega describes as a "comic book look", plus elements of story, locations and levels that are unique to those platforms. On the DS, Thor: The Video Game will take the shape of a side-scrolling adventure. "We are proud to be bringing Marvel’s Thor to his first solo video game adventure," says Sega of America and Sega Europe senior VP of marketing Gary Knight. "Thor: The Video Game will finally bring the immense power of this iconic hero to lifelong fans, and introduce the God of Thunder to a whole new audience as a true Marvel Super Hero." Paramount Pictures is distributing Thor to theaters in May 2011, although the game does not have direct ties to the film's storyline. In 2007, prior to Disney's 2009 acquisition of Marvel, Sega said that it acquired the license to make games based on comic book properties including Thor, Captain America and The Incredible Hulk.