Endemol UK Forms New Gaming Arm

Production company Endemol may be better known for its reality television shows, like Big Brother and Fear Factor, but the company's UK arm has announced it's opening a new division focused on online games. According to a report in C21 media, Endemol UK product head Jurian Van der Meer will step up to the role of managing director for the new unit, reporting directly to COO Lucas Church. The group's primary mandate will be to license both Endemol's own first- and third-party entertainment properties for the gaming space. Church calls online gaming a "significant growth area" with the potential to play an important role in the company's business. Says Van der Meer: "Endemol's entertainment properties attract a huge fan base and seamlessly cross over into branded gaming." "Our aim with Endemol Games is to further build on this, creating fresh and original concepts that will further invigorate the online gaming market," he adds. Endemol Worldwide Brands, the company's global organization, will work with the new division to distribute worldwide gaming properties created in the UK. The company has a history of gaming partnerships, having worked with companies like Electronic Arts, Virgin Games and others. It's been involved in pub quiz and betting games based on its Deal or No Deal, Million Pound Drop and Big Brother properties, for example.