COMPANY TOWN

Multimedia: MGM/UA became the latest studio to jump on the “You’ve seen the movie, now play the CD-ROM” bandwagon Thursday, announcing plans for an interactive game based on “Blown Away,” an action film that opens today. Imagination Pilots, a Chicago-based multimedia software firm, is creating the game. The venture is separate from the deal the studio announced earlier this year to develop games with Sega of America Inc. As the market for interactive software expands, entertainment companies have rushed to use the medium as a way to make more money from their productions. The problem is, a good movie doesn’t necessarily make a good game. And game development--which can cost as much as $2 million--usually starts before the movie comes out. If the film bombs, the game usually does too. The “Blown Away” game, due out this fall, will incorporate explosion scenes from the movie. But the real race among the studios is to finish a game in time for the movie’s theatrical release. Sony is hoping to get its “Frankenstein” game out in November for simultaneous release with the TriStar film. Fox plans to do the same for “Pagemaster.”