Activision signs American Chopper

Activision is planning to develop and distribute games based on American Chopper, a fabulously named Discovery Channel programme that we've never heard about, in which a father-and-son team create and apparently flog giant motorcycles out of their Orange County Choppers garage. (And to be honest we did have to look that up, since the official press release is decidedly short on any use of the word "motorcycle". Heck, we thought they meant helicopters for a few minutes. We're so innocent.)

The deal has been struck between Activision Value and Discovery Consumer Products, and should see the former release games for PC, console and handheld systems in North America this Christmas, with an option to develop more, obviously. With a potential audience of some four million people who watch the show every week, they should do nicely.

We're just slightly curious about the whole thing, really. Both sides are 'excited' naturally, but what on earth are the games actually going to be about? Painstakingly building motorcycles then letting someone else ride off on them? Someone nicking a sacred spanner and the quest to retrieve it (you guessed it, on motorcycles)? A Tycoon style endeavour where you have to create an empire out of bike-building garages, drive the local Hell's Angels out of contention and cripple your business rivals with a pen rather than a wrench? Who knows? If we ever find out, we might mention it again.