Wacko Jacko - the game?

Michael Jackson had been considering releasing his next music album as a videogame, it has emerged.

The singer, who died last Thursday aged 50, discussed the idea with veteran games developer David Perry prior to the announcement of his comeback string of concerts at the 02 Arena in London.

It would have seen a collection of songs Jackson was working on being put out as part of a videogame first before being released as a standalone album.

"This would have introduced many new players to videogames," says Perry, who had visited Jackson's Neverland ranch to discuss the idea before the superstar was forced to sell the property due to mounting debts.

"He was incredibly interested in the idea, and we got quite far down that road, working on the story and mechanics. We were excited about the press potential."

Perry, who is an executive videogame industry consultant and founded Shiny Entertainment, makers of Earthworm Jim in 1993, revealed the plans in a post on his website, dperry.com, following the singer's death.

He wrote: "Michael Jackson was a gamer, he wanted me to come up to Neverland and talk to him about games."

He added: "I feel lucky to have spent time with him, I think the music industry lost a major part of its history, I know his children will be devastated, and for people like me that spent time with him, that got to see the "real" guy, (outside of his celebrity) the world lost a really great person too."

Jackson's love of videogames was well documented and he had a gaming arcade as part of his multi-million dollar Neverland ranch.

- THE INDEPENDENT