THQ teams up with legendary gaming talent for digital and mobile games

THQ seems to be hedging its bets on digitally distributed and mobile games, and today, they have announced an agreement with a brand new digital developer know as Innovative Leisure.

While you may not have heard of the development studio, you have surely heard of those who are part of it, along with their games and products they were responsible for. For example (as taken from the press release below)… Seamus Blackley (“father of the Xbox”), Van Burnham (Supercade), Ed Logg (Asteroids, Centipede, Gauntlet), Rich Adam (Missile Command, Gravitar, PGA Tour Golf), Tim Skelly (Rip Off, Star Castle, Reactor), Owen Rubin (Major Havoc, Space Duel), and Ed Rotberg (Battlezone, S.T.U.N. Runner, Steel Talons).

Quite the impressive pedigree, and certainly legendary.

THQ will begin publishing Innovative Leisure titles this year, so stay tuned.

Read on for the press release.

THQ today announced a strategic agreement with digital development studio Innovative Leisure, a new company formed by games industry veterans. The agreement will focus on creating and publishing digital games available through digital and mobile platforms. The agreement gives THQ the right to publish multiple Innovative Leisure titles starting in 2012.

Innovative Leisure comprises games industry icons with experience on some of the industry?s biggest games through its history. The team includes Seamus Blackley (?father of the Xbox?), Van Burnham (Supercade), Ed Logg (Asteroids, Centipede, Gauntlet), Rich Adam (Missile Command, Gravitar, PGA Tour Golf), Tim Skelly (Rip Off, Star Castle, Reactor), Owen Rubin (Major Havoc, Space Duel), and Ed Rotberg (Battlezone, S.T.U.N. Runner, Steel Talons). The team?s experience designing and developing highly popular pick-up-and-play gameplay mechanics will be leveraged to innovate and iterate brand-new, modern games on mobile, social and downloadable platforms.

?We are always looking to work with the best creative talent in the video games industry and we feel this relationship with Innovative Leisure reinforces our goal,? said Danny Bilson, executive vice president, Core Games, THQ. ?We are committed to delivering creative games through digital distribution and Innovative Leisure has the expertise to deliver remarkable and cutting edge games for a new generation.?

?It?s a great honor (and a lot of fun) to get the opportunity to work with so many of the designers responsible for the gameplay mechanics that form the basis of our whole medium,? said Seamus Blackley, President of Innovative Leisure. ?We?re excited about getting to make and release a bunch of awesome games.?