bhv launches XIDER publishing label in the UK

German publisher bhv Software has confirmed that it is to team up with distribution firm Pinnacle Software to launch its publishing label, XIDER, in the UK.

GamesIndustry.biz originally reported on plans for XIDER late last month; bhv has now confirmed that it will focus on bringing PC and DS software to the UK market. XIDER has over a dozen role playing, adventure, racing and sports games on its release schedule for the coming months.

The first games to be launched in the UK on the XIDER label will be Telltale Games' adventure titles Bone, with both the first episode, Bone: Out from Boneville and its follow-up, Bone: The Great Cow Race due to appear this month, priced at GBP 19.99 each.

Other announced titles on the release schedule include German Street Racing (April, GBP 9.99), Luminator DS (May, GBP 29.99), World of Chaos (May, GBP 19.99), European Street Racing (May, GBP 19.99), Ankh DS (August, GBP 29.99) and Basketball Manager 2008 (August, GBP 19.99).

Along with revealing details of the new XIDER label, bhv has also announced that it is working on a follow-up to its successful 2005 Egyptian-themed adventure title Ankh, called Ankh: Heard of Osiris. The sequel will be launched on PC in the UK in late April, ahead of the publication of the DS port of the original game in August.

"We are very excited about the launch of XIDER and the prospect of bringing many new titles for PC and Nintendo DS under this label to gamers in the UK," commented bhv managing director Helmut Schmitz. "We have been successfully publishing games across Europe under this label for several years and look forward to recreating this success in the UK. The launch of Ankh: Heart of Osiris is a great new title to start with and we hope gamers will agree."