Activision signs multi-year deal for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games

Activision and Nickelodeon have signed a multi-year deal in which the massive games publisher will have exclusive rights to develop games based on Nickelodeon's new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, the companies announced via press release today.

The first of three TMNT titles in the works at Activision will be released this summer, according to the press release.

The cartoon series, which debuted on Nick's television channel last fall, was quickly renewed for a second season due to start sometime this year. No actual games were named or detailed in the press release — only an exclusivity agreement under which Activision will be the sole creator of TMNT titles.

"The fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are unique in that they span generations and are very passionate," said Activision Publishing Minneapolis vice president Kurt Niederloh in the press release. "We respect this passion and look forward to working with Nickelodeon to create games that embody the spirit of the property."

It's unclear whether Activision's Minneapolis-based branch will spearhead publishing duties on whatever titles are created. Given that branch's history of releases like last year's The Amazing Spider-Man, new licensed property seems like a sure fit. We've reached out to Activision to find out what their plans are for the property.