New York - Viacom's MTV Networks plans to invest more than $500 million in video games over the next two years, as part of a plan to incorporate games into all new programs at their inception, Reuters reported.

"As we take our brands narrow and deep to serve our targeted, niche audiences, we're putting well over $500 million behind building our games business across all of the brands in our portfolio," MTV chairman and CEO Judy McGrath told Reuters.

"I'd like to see more game applications on some of our current big brands across the music group."

The company currently operates game-related services including AddictingGames.com, Xfire, GameTrailers, Neopets.com and Nicktropolis.

MTV Networks' game-related sites attracted 42 million unique visitors in June -- up 20% since January -- according to comScore Media Metrix.

The company also offers mobile games, and its Harmonix game development studio is set to release a "Guitar Hero"-like title called "Rock Band."

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http://tinyurl.com/2mbuba (Reuters)

http://www.mtv.com