Sony Picks Up Ghostbusters PAL Publishing

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Atari Europe revealed that SCEE will publish Terminal Reality and Red Fly's Ghostbusters: The Video Game on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 in the PAL territories. The game will release on PS3 and PS2 in Europe on June 19, and its launch will coordinate with the original movie's Blu-ray release from Sony Pictures. Gamasutra has reached out to Sony and Atari for comments on whether the same publishing deal is in place for North America. "Atari is committed to maximizing the launch of the Ghostbusters videogame across Europe," says Jim Wilson, VP of worldwide marketing at Atari, which picked up the Ghostbusters title when it was discarded in the Activision-Vivendi merger last year. The game has been previously slated to release on Xbox 360, PC and Nintendo DS as well; although GamesIndustry.biz reports it will enjoy a 'period of exclusivity' on Sony platforms, it's unclear how Atari will ultimately handle the additional versions. According to Sony, a PSP version is scheduled to launch in Autumn 2009. Original Ghostbusters writers Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd have contributed writing to the video game, and the voices and likenesses of many of the original cast -- Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, William Atherton and Annie Potts -- will feature in the title. "With this superb game launching alongside the Blu-ray release, we will reach existing fans and the next generation, bringing them all into the irresistible Ghostbusters universe," says Mark Caplan, Sony Pictures consumer products VP of licensing-interactive.