This morning, the developer-driven game publisher announced a deal with new design group Bloodshot Entertainment to create a game based on the best-selling KISS: Psycho Circus comics by Todd Farlane.

Bloodshot, composed of former ION Storm programmers, artists and designers, is coupling the 3D action genre with McFarlane's stylistic interpretation of the KISS universe. Picture a towering polygonal likeness of vocalist Gene Simmons prancing through a detailed 3D realm spreading murder and mayhem to the heavy metal strains of his music, and you have a good idea of the creative potential. To Miller, the eccentric nuptials are a perfect fit.

"From a creative standpoint it is a lot of fun," he grinned. "To people in our age group, the KISS property has a lot of value because it is something we grew up with. It is wild and crazy, and this is a fun way to bring it into our media. Topping that is the presentation of the comic book, which leads very well into a 3D action game. It is a fantastic set up."

The license does have a strong following, something that also made it attractive from a marketing standpoint. KISS generated more than $150 million in tickets sales during its recent world tour. Add to that 80 million records sold during a 25 year career and innumerable tie-ins to other KISS products, and the game has a ready-made selling strategy.

"The first thing our developers strive for is to create an excellent game," Miller stressed. "Still, any time we can take advantage of the existing market share a property or license attracts, we will do that. The KISS license has an audience similar to the one we attract through our games, so it is a natural fit." Then why hand such a lucrative property to a group of freshman game designers who have yet to prove themselves with a finished product? Miller responded, "We already had the license and were shopping it around to developers, looking at who could do a good job. During that time this group came to us with the information that they were going to be launching a company. Through our familiarity with these people we knew they could do a great job, so we showed them what we had. They have a great love for KISS and were very excited about it."

Miller declined to comment on if the Gathering's offer played a part in the group leaving ION en masse while working on a number of projects, but did mention the title is a one-time publishing deal that departs from their traditional relationship with founding members.

"Bloodshot is not a founding member of the Gathering; they are our first outside party," he explained. "All our developers are essentially third party developers. Bloodshot, though, is not an equity member. The founding developers have equity in our company and long term contracts with us, whereas Bloodshot has a one title deal."

Miller also refused to hint about a possible release date or the game's engine. "We are going to be very careful to make an outstanding product. When it is done, it is done," he said, copying and pasting his response from the 3D game publisher SOP.

The game will be published by the Gathering in the US and Take 2 Interactive in Europe. KISS is currently on tour with all four original members promoting its Psycho Circus album, and other licensed products, such as action figures, are selling out. Hopefully the Gathering and Bloodshot will ride the crest and give gamers something to get psyched about.

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