Will EA use its 10-year "Bourne" license?

Last year, Electronic Arts acquired the video game license to Robert Ludlum’s Bourne franchise, but now it has canceled the first game that was supposed to use that license.

EA took over the rights to the Ludlum spy universe from Vivendi Games in 2009, giving it exclusive video game rights to the series through 2019.



However, the first EA Bourne project, which had not yet even been given a name, has been axed. As of now, there are no other confirmed titles in the pipeline.

The Bourne franchise is not exactly a hot property at the moment. Matt Damon, who is the big-screen face of Jason Bourne, has raised doubt about whether or not he would return for a fourth film. Also, if there were to be a new theatrical installment, it would be the first that is not based on a Ludlum novel, which could immediately drop its appeal.

The only Bourne game on the market now is The Bourne Conspiracy, a PS3 and Xbox 360 title that was released in 2008, when the license belonged to Vivendi. Poor sales and biting reviews quickly relegated it to the budget bin.