My generation has spent the better part of its adult life trying to recapture its youth.  I’m a perfect example of this.  Every week, a decent-sized chunk of my paycheck goes towards comic books, action figures and memorabilia based on my childhood obsessions.  Toy lines from the 1980s have proven to be quite profitable for their license holders, and the Transformers movie proved that there’s lots of money to be made bringing small-screen heroes to the big screen.  The next Reagan-era property to get the Hollywood treatment is GI Joe, which sees its live-action debut, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, hit theatres August 7.  And just as we all expected, EA will be producing a video game tie-in.

The title, coming to "all major video game platforms," was announced via press release by EA today, and while we don’t have a lot of details, there are a few things about the game that we now know; 12 GI Joe characters will be playable, the game “will feature an exclusive storyline that picks up where the live-action movie leaves off,” and will allow players to recreate great moments from the film, cartoon and action figure line (what, no comic storylines?), and there will be 2-player single-screen co-op.

While no release date has been announced, we can assume it will be right around the same time as the movie’s release.  Those looking for an earlier look at the game need not wait long at all; EA will unveil a “first-look” at the Hasbro booth at this weekend’s Toy Fair in New York.

Despite its enduring popularity, the GI Joe franchise hasn’t had a video game released since 1992’s GI Joe: The Atlantis Factor for the NES.  As exciting as the prospect of a GI Joe game sounds, it’s important to remember that this will be based on the movie.  The movie with Sienna Miller.  And Marlon Wayans.  Yeah, Marlon Wayans.

Oh well, maybe there’ll be unlockable classic costumes.  That’ll be neat.

Check out the full press release below:

EA Confirms Covert Mission to Create Action-Packed G.I. JOE® Video Game Inspired by Upcoming Film From Paramount Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment and Hasbro

G.I. JOE Set to Invade All Major Video Game Platforms in Summer 2009
Toy Fair 2009

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced that development is underway to bring Hasbro’s legendary G.I. JOE® brand to all major console and handheld gaming platforms in summer 2009 to coincide with the theatrical release of the G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA live-action movie from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, in association with Hasbro, which opens in theaters August 7, 2009. EA will unveil a “first look” of the G.I. JOE® video game at Hasbro’s Showroom at Toy Fair on February 15-17, 2009 in New York City.

“As Hasbro and Paramount Pictures reignite the G.I. JOE® property this year with an all-new toy line and film, EA is excited to play a major role in bringing this icon of pop culture history to a new generation of enthusiasts through interactive gaming,” said Chip Lange, General Manager and Vice President of EA Hasbro. “G.I. JOE® offers exceptionally rich storylines and a cast of characters that lends itself incredibly well to creating an over-the-top action adventure video game that will thrill gamers as well as G.I. JOE® fans.”

For fans of all ages, 2009 is gearing up to become another watershed milestone in the timeless franchise by introducing even more new ways to engage, immerse and play within the G.I. JOE® universe. The G.I. JOE® video game will feature an exclusive storyline that picks up where the live-action movie leaves off, allowing players to re-create and re-live the greatest moments from the film, cartoon series and action figure toy line. The game will feature 12 G.I. JOE® characters, each with unique abilities and weapons. Adding to the adrenaline rush will be an intense single-screen co-op mode allowing two players to easily unite as a team in a classic struggle between good and evil as they work together to defeat the powers of the COBRA organization. The G.I. JOE® video game is under development for Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Wii™, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo DS™, and mobile devices.

“G.I. JOE® has been an icon of action for 45 years,” said Mark Blecher, General Manager of Digital Gaming and Media at Hasbro. “EA has tapped the legacy of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga to create an amazing interactive experience inspired by the movie, comic books, animated series and iconography that we hope will resonate with millions of fans.”

For more than four decades, G.I. JOE® has been one of the premiere brands in the history of boys' toys. Originating the term "action figure” in 1964, Hasbro’s G.I. JOE® brand ushered in a new play pattern that forever changed the scope of the toy industry. The G.I. JOE® brand made another revolutionary introduction in 1984 with the release of the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA toy line, which introduced a generation of boys to the heroic G.I. JOE® forces, led by Duke, and their epic struggle to defeat the evil COBRA organization. The G.I. JOE vs. COBRA saga featured a diverse cast of characters – both good and evil – that became a part of pop culture through Hasbro’s toy line, an animated television series and best-selling comic book franchise.

For more information about the G.I. JOE® video game and to sign up for updates, visit gijoe.ea.com

 

Related Articles:

From the Panel to the Screen: 5 All-New GI Joe Posters

First Images From GI Joe Movie

How Have They Not Made This Game Yet?