Universal isn't stopping with the Bourne movies after Ultimatum. They need their own James Bond, and they'll deliver another with a fourth Bourne movie next summer, starring Matt Damon and directed by Paul Greengrass. But in terms of videogame tie-ins, Vivendi lost the Bourne license when they merged with Activision, who already had their own James Bond franchise in the form of the actual bona fide James Bond license (yeah, I know, it's easy to forget there are James Bond games when all you've got to show for it is that awful little Quantum of Solace shooter).

So Electronic Arts just announced that it's picked up the Bourne license and a new game is in development. But that's not the exciting news. The exciting news is that the new Bourne game is being developed by Starbreeze, the guys who did the great Riddick game, the middling Darkness game, and the upcoming Riddick do-over, Dark Athena. I'll bet you dollars to donuts we'll see the game released next summer when the fourth Bourne movie is released. And I'll also bet you dollars to donuts Electronic Arts won't make the same mistake of making a Bourne game without Damon on board.

And considering Starbreeze has demonstrated it can make a good game around a unique personality like Vin Deisel, whose presence was a big part of what made the Riddick games good, I'll also bet you dollars to donuts they're just the guys who can make a good Damon-starring Bourne game. Hopefully Electronic Arts will trust them to mix up the gameplay like they did in Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.

By the way, this could also be good news for James Bond fans. A little direct competition might mean Activision will do something with the license other than simply dropping it into a quick n' dirty shooter like they did with Quantum of Solace.