Viacom ditching game industry may impact Bruckheimer Games deal

With Viacom getting out of the gaming business, and selling Harmonix off to the highest bidder, the move to exit the industry may put Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer's intended videogame plans in jeopardy.

According to a report over on the LA Times, Viacom, which signed a deal to publish games made under Bruckheimer, is currently assessing its options and if it decides to not go through with the deal, Bruckheimer Games may be forced to either sign a deal with a new partner, or cancel its projects.

Bruckheimer's game studio is co-owned by MTV, and in 2009 Ubisoft's former SVP Jay Cohen was brought on as president of development.

Yesterday, Viacom's Philippe Dauman told investors during a conference call it planned to sell Harmonix and get out because "the console game business requires an expertise and scale that we don't have."

Games in production at Bruckheimer's studio are planned for release on PS3 and Xbox 360.