Codemasters gears up for big spend at GDC.

GAME ACQUISTIONS A PRIORITY FOR CODEMASTERS AT BOOTH #434-436, GDC, MARCH 4-8.

Codemasters is attending this year's Game Developers Conference [GDC], March 4 – 8 in San Jose, California, with a clear mandate to acquire five A to triple-A game titles.

As part of Codemasters' aggressive product acquisition programme, its team is ready to meet game developers with exceptional projects to discuss global publishing opportunities. Codemasters recently won the highly-contested publishing rights to 1C's "WWII:RTS" (to be published as Battlefield Command).

With a particular interest in US-centric games, Codemasters is prioritising titles for PC, PC online, PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube formats.

Acquired and externally developed titles play a major part in Codemasters' portfolio. The company has had major publishing success with externally developed products, including Prisoner of War, IGI 2: Covert Strike, MTV Music Generator 2 and the Operation Flashpoint series, which has been a best seller in over 50 territories.

Codemasters offers a variety of financing models for acquired products from external developers, including outright purchase of a title, licence-based financing, completion bonds and further options.

Says Gary Rowe, Head of Business Development and Manager of Codemasters' acquisitions programme:

"GDC is the best forum to meet developers seeking publishing deals and to present Codemasters' global publishing activities. We're looking to work with teams whose projects fit in with Codemasters' policy of publishing products of excellence.

"For any team we work with, it's a very close, co-operative development process; we maintain a studio here dedicated to working alongside external teams providing input and guidance from Codemasters' producers and games designers."

Codemasters' acquisitions team will be at GDC, booth number 434-436, to meet with developers and discuss projects and publishing opportunities for ongoing and planned products.