Sony and Nintendo to Benefit from New National Geographic Video Games

National Geographic is a 120-year old brand, famous for its articles and photos examining and unearthing every corner of the globe, from endangered animals, to indigenous people.

Now the old school magazine and documentary company is making a big commitment to the very contemporary business of video games. The company is launching a new games division, National Geographic Games to develop everything from video games for consoles and handheld devices, as well as online games.

National Geographic has been moving in this direction with casual video games over the past few years, and it's partnered with Sony (SNE) Computer Entertainment and Namco Bandai Games America to distribute games for the major devices from Nintendo (NTDOY.PK), PlayStation 3 and online gaming platforms.

National Geographic's first game project, "National Geographic Panda", by game maker Namco, for the Nintendo DS was just released this month. Fitting with National Geographic's eco-friendly attitude, the game raises awareness about the panda's place on the endangered species list, teaching gamers about pandas and their ecosystem as they play with and nurture them.

Expanding in this new direction allows National Geographic to leverage its trusted, family friendly brand in a new arena. And while consumer spending is expected to decline across the board, by many measures, video games offer a great bang for your buck, which bodes well for them holding up this holiday season and next year.