Codemasters will publish two editions of each title, one for Wii, with play centred on action gaming, and the other for the Nintendo DS, which will embrace explorative gameplay in the form of an interactive book. Dragonology will be the first title in the series and is expected to launch in the second half of 2008.

"Extending Codemasters' reach in the family entertainment category, this alliance with Templar further demonstrates the continued growth and diversification of our portfolio," said Barry Jafrato, Senior Vice President of Brand, Codemasters. "With each title based on a popular fantasy theme and delivering a truly content-rich read, Dragonology, Wizardology and Pirateology are major entertainment properties that form a perfect base on which to build original and creative gaming experiences."

"The Ology book brand is a powerful contemporary franchise and we always seek to work with high calibre creative partners," commented Richard Scrivener, Commercial and Operations Director, Templar Publishing. "Right from the outset, we were impressed by the combination of Codemasters' passion for the product and their global reach."

Dragonology, Wizardology and Pirateology, each a fascinating and entertaining encyclopaedic journal packed with multi-textured content and paper-engineered extras, will be realised as individual video game titles exclusively for the Wii and NDS.