Fast-growing publisher Rising Star Games has confirmed that it has signed a co-publishing deal with veteran Japanese outfit Hudson Soft.

The news comes a month after MCV exclusively revealed that a deal was on the cards with the Bomberman publisher (MCV 18/05). Rising Star – which has so far specialised in handheld formats – also revealed that it will start publishing games for the Nintendo Wii later this year.

The first Hudson Soft titles published via Rising Star will be Honeycomb Beat and Bomberman Story, both on Nintendo DS, which will arrive in October.

“We are very happy to have an opportunity to work with Rising Star Games,” said head of Europe in Hudson Soft’s global business division Horomi Tomisawa. “They are an experienced hand at managing the very best in Japanese games for release in Europe and have a dynamism that matches our goal to return the Hudson brand to Europe.

“We have an exciting line-up of titles for Sony PSP, Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii and we look forward to the partnership with Rising Star building in future.”

Rising Star’s MD and COO Martin Defries added: “This is a significant partnership for Rising Star Games and further endorsement that the values and business plan of the company are spot on. We are delighted. The line-up from Hudson is fantastic and we are honoured to be part of the re-introduction of Hudson and its games to Europe.”