Today Ubisoft announced that it will launch an all-new, original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles® (TMNT®) video game – the first that is not tied to a TMNT® movie, television show or comic book – which will be a four-player action fighting title. The game is being developed by Game Arts, noted for working on the critically acclaimed Super Smash Bros.™ Brawl for Wii™. Scheduled for release in fall 2009, the video game will be a key event in the year-long “Shell-ebration” of the 25th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles® which, in addition to the video game launch, will include new and exciting products and experiences for TMNT® fans in the U.S. and around the world.

The success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles® in various media has been sustained over the last 25 years with numerous “bests,” including: the best-selling video game on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in 2007; and in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the No.1-rated Saturday morning TV show in the US; the No.1-rated daily syndicated animated TV strip for children; the No.1 Nintendo Entertainment System™ and Game Boy™ Advance video game in the world and the No.1 live touring arena show in the U.S.

“We’re really excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first TMNT® comic and we have a number of radical ‘Shell-ebration’ events planned for 2009,” said Gary Richardson, CEO of Mirage Studios. “The awesome new video game that Ubisoft will release in 2009 is an important part of celebrating this Turtles milestone with fans around the world.”

“There is no better tribute to the Turtles than the creation of a brand-new game that will help to launch the next 25 years of success,” said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft. “It’s our pleasure to partner again with Mirage as part of the worldwide birthday celebration for the Turtles.”

More details about the game can be found in the January 2009 TMNT® cover story issue of Nintendo Power magazine in the U.S.