Games publishing house Interplay has changed distributors yet again, signing on with Vivendi Universal Publishing for distribution across the Asia Pacific.

It is the third distribution change for Interplay in as many years.

In 2000, Tech Pacific took on the sole distributorship for the publisher, ending a five-year distribution relationship with Village Roadshow. That relationship went sour when Tech Pacific brought in its small order fee and the distributor was forced to waive the fee for Interplay titles.

Vivendi has signed a three-year agreement with Interplay to distribute its PC and consoles products throughout the Asia Pacific region. The agreement is an extension of a similar deal between the companies in North America.

Vivendi Universal Publishing Australia now holds the distribution rights for Australia and New Zealand and will sub-distribute products to independent and regional dealers through All Interactive Distribution. The deal caps off a very successful 12 months for Vivendi in Australia, despite ongoing speculation on the future of its colossal parent company.

Managing director of Vivendi Universal Publishing Australia, Pascal Brochier, said the company would continue to focus on growing its business in Australia.

“It has been a massive couple of years," he said. "The whole interactive industry it going through a very strong growth phase and I think it will continue.

“We are in a category where growth is extremely strong and our growth is above average. In terms of sell-through numbers, the whole category grew 31 per cent last year. We almost doubled that growth rate: Vivendi titles grew by 56 per cent.”

For more on Vivendi, see this week's issue of ARN.