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MTV Networks has signed an exclusive deal with blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer to develop original videogame titles for MTV Games. MTV's parent, Viacom, has aimed for success in the video game industry with a commitment to spend $500 million on game and interactive entertainment within the next two years, but past attempts to break into the gaming world have been unsuccessful thus far. Unlike the purchase of game developer Harmonix, the makers of "Rock Band," a good fit for MTV, a deal with Bruckheimer is full of all the wrong kinds of risk.

MTV is not gaining access to Bruckheimer's successful film properties or TV series CSI. Those are already licensed to other developers. Other game-development deals with high profile director-producers like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson have produced nothing but ego massages. A partnership between MTV, with little success and experience in the gaming industry, and Bruckheimer, who has no experience in the game industry, is more likely to be the kind of disaster story Bruckheimer produces so adeptly for the silver screen. (Photo by Frank Connor)