MCV sister site Develop reports that Bioware has forged a deal with Sega that will see it produce a Nintendo DS title based on its iconic Sonic The Hedgehog character.

It's one of the first games to come from Bioware's newly-formed handheld team, which was founded in September 2006.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Sega on Sonic, one of the industry’s most enduring and compelling icons,” said Greg Zeschuk, president of BioWare.

“As huge fans of Sonic ourselves, we’re committed to delivering a truly amazing story-driven experience within the Sonic universe, focusing on capturing the character’s broad appeal and placing him in a completely original adventure,” added Ray Muzyka, chief executive officer of BioWare.

The game is a Sonic RPG, although little else is known about the game except that it is an RPG.

It's just another step in Sega's aggressive courting of third-party independent studios across North America and Europe.

The Bioware partnership follows deals with Gas Powered Games, Monolith Productions, Planet Moon Studios, Obsidianm Bizarre Creations, Pseudo Interactive and Silicon Knights. The company also owns western studios Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive and Secret Level.

“BioWare is one of the hottest names in RPG development in the world,” said Simon Jeffery, president and COO of SEGA America. “Everyone at Sega has huge confidence that Sonic is in the safest of hands, and that BioWare can create the ultimate handheld RPG experience for gamers of all ages.”