Japanese gaming giant SEGA Corporation has this week unveiled a joint venture with International Sports Multimedia (ISM) - the exclusive licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) - to produce ‘Beijing 2008,’ the official videogame of the Olympic Games.

Under development by Eurocom Entertainment Software (Batman Begins, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End), the game will rely on the online functionality of the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC systems to ensure that fans of the Olympic Games “will be able to experience the thrill of competing against other gamers across the globe in the world’s greatest sporting event.”

Offering up an authentic sporting simulation consisting of more than 35 official events from the forthcoming Games in Beijing, China, players will participate while being surrounded by famous environments such as the Beijing National Stadium and the National Aquatics Centre.

From a gameplay perspective, SEGA claims Beijing 2008 will also deliver “innovative control schemes” allowing novice gamers to grasp the basics while enabling more experienced gamers to flex their skills in the hope of breaking the odd world record along the way. The game will also incorporate online features and a variety of different play modes culminating in Beijing 2008 arriving as “the new benchmark for the sporting genre” that also delivers the true Olympic Spirit.

“With a huge number of events, innovative control schemes to benefit new and experienced gamers, online multiplayer modes providing hours of entertainment and stunning high-definition graphics, Beijing 2008 will be a fantastic experience,” trumpets Hugh Binns, Director of Eurocom Development Ltd.

Beijing 2008 is scheduled for retail release in the summer of 2008. Similarly, Beijing 2008: The Official Mobile Phone Game of the Olympic Games is also in production and will be available around the same time as its next-gen counterparts.

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