Firefly

Sci-fi freaks and geeks have cause to celebrate the announcement of two gaming deals.

Coming soon to a ’portal’ near you?

It’s all go in the world of sci-fi film/game tie-ins, with not one, but two big deals announced today.

First up is the online adaptation of cult favourite ’Serenity’ (which itself was a companion piece to the TV series ’Firefly’).

Multiverse has obtained the rights to the franchise, and is planning a multiplayer online game. According to Variety, the company ’is building technology that lets developers build a variety of different online worlds that interconnect through one portal’ (whatever that means).

And they hope that the show’s stars and its creator Joss Whedon will offer their input to the project.

But the big news of the day is Sega’s acquisition of the ’Alien’ franchise for a series of PC and next generation video games, including a first-person shooter and a role-playing game.

’We’ll go out of our way to tie the games into the films in unique ways’ said Mike Gallo, senior producer of the ’Alien’ games at Sega. ’We’re also looking at all ’Alien’ source material for inspiration, in addition to the films. We may incorporate some characters that fans know and love, and we may let gamers find answers to questions that were left unanswered in the movies’.

And much like the ’Serenity’ adaptation, Sega are in talks with Sigourney Weaver and other ’Alien’ stars to lend both likeness and vocal talents to the games.

If all goes according to plan, the first fruits of these gaming labours should appear in 2008.