THQ and Nickeledeon announced yesterday that they will expand their partnership. The two companies will combine their forces to start a new, interesting strategy.

THQ now holds the exclusive, worldwide interactive rights to publish games based on all existing and future individual Nickelodeon animated TV and movie properties targeting kids ages 6-11 on every game system through 2005. Game systems include those manufactured by Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, as well as PC.

“As the fastest growing category in all of entertainment, interactive is a very important segment of Nickelodeon’s consumer product business,” stated Leigh Anne Brodsky, Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “Our ongoing success working with THQ over the past four years has proven that their game development expertise and global marketing and distribution force are unparalleled in the interactive space. We look forward to creating an even greater presence for Nickelodeon in the interactive market through this new deal.”

“Our master deal allows us to expand the Nickelodeon interactive business with strategic brand management and greater promotional and marketing support through Nickelodeon’s multi-media network,” stated Jeff Lapin, Vice Chairman and COO, THQ. “We are delighted to be entering this exceptional relationship during a period of tremendous growth for the category.”

The new strategy is called 'videogame first'. This means that THQ will develope a game based on a particular concept provided by Nickeledeon. Nickeledeon will at the same time start working on a movie or TV series based on the same concept. THQ releases the game, and shortly after the game is released, Nickeledeon will launch the movie or TV series. Hence the name 'videogame first'.

This is the first time ever two companies start a strategy like this. Usually the TV series come out first, and then a game is based on the series, like Rugrats. We'll just have to see how things will work out.