RedOctane has established a new division of the company dedicated to publishing software with its first title for PlayStation2 to be announced in spring 2005.

"Launching into a new business segment with the publishing of videogames is a natural evolution for us," said Kai Huang, president of RedOctane. "We are committed to delivering the same high quality and fun found in our peripherals with the upcoming RedOctane software line."

The game will join a prestigious line of award-winning RedOctane videogame accessories.

The Honig Co. Inc., a leading boutique public relations agency, announced it is representing USA Index Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of Index Corp., a $20 billion diversified technology and media company based in Japan.

The Honig Co. will initially be undertaking a campaign aimed at raising awareness of Sega Animanium, a software product for the animation industry, and working to increase sales within North America.

New York City-based Noodlesoup Productions, Inc. is expanding to form a new original content creation division - Noodlesoup Entertainment that will solely focus on the development and production of high quality original animated feature films and television programming.

Noodlesoup Prods. is best known for its breakout Cartoon Network hit series, THE VENTURE BROTHERS, as well as for the work of its commercial division’s campaigns for MSN and Earthlink. Noodlesoup Ent. is already beginning development on several new programs with major U.S. distributors.

Sheer Force of Will Pictures Llc, a new feature film production company, has opened in Glendale, California. The new company is owned by co-founders Kevin Kutchaver, a visual effects veteran who concurrently remains head of visual effects design and production company HimAnI Prods. and feature film producer Linda Drake. Sheer Force of Will Pictures plans to produce two-three original feature films a year. The duo also announced the start of production on the company’s first feature film, RESCUE ROCKET X-5, which begins in late February 2005 in Los Angeles.

On Feb. 23, 2005, negotiations broke down in the ongoing dispute between the Spanish-language voices of THE SIMPSONS union and a Mexico City-based dubbing studio, spurring the cast to go on an official strike, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The cast alleges that its employer, formerly known as Grabaciones y Doblajes, breached its contract with their union, the National Actors' Assn. Union, by hiring union-member actors. The company claims that the contract was made void when its administration and company name changed to Grabaciones y Doblajes Internacionales (GDI).

Burbank-based Furious FX enters its sophomore year with a wide assortment of their first year’s work erupting into theaters and onto DVD shelves. Currently in production are MR. AND MRS. SMITH and FEVER PITCH.

The newly ignited facility has completed nearly 500 shots in the last 12 months. Their work is featured in more than 15 high profile films, including THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK, SPIDER-MAN 2, SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, the upcoming UNDERCLASSMAN, as well as Sundance indie CHRYSTAL starring Billy Bob Thornton.

NVIDIA Corp. has opened a new design center in Bangalore, India, continuing NVIDIA's expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.

"India is an exciting market and well-positioned for phenomenal growth," said Jen Hsun-Huang, president and ceo, NVIDIA Corp. "We know from experience that India is home to some of the world's brightest engineers, as many of our top employees today are originally from there. India is strategic to NVIDIA and we are delighted to become a member of the Bangalore community."

SPIRITED AWAY director Hayao Miyazaki and a group of investors are set to buy Studio Ghibli from Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., reports VARIETY.

Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki, director Isao Takahata, Miyazaki and other top employees have already formed an independent company in Tokyo with a market capitalization of ¥10 million ($96,000) and are seeking between $96 million-$144 million to buy out the rights to all past Ghibli productions.

RUN LOLA RUN producer X Filme and David Groenewold's media investment group Promedium Gesellschaft fuer Medienfinanzierung have launched an animation firm, reports VARIETY. The Berlin-based firm will be run by Stephen Schesch, former head of the animation company Ellipse Deutschland.

Animation X has already begun its first feature, an adaptation of Tomi Ungerer's children's book THE THREE ROBBERS. The film has a budget of E3.5 million ($4.5 million) and is funded by Groenewold's GFP 2 fund.

Pixar Animation Studios Inc. will not take a role in The Walt Disney Co.'s production of sequels to Pixar films, said Steve Jobs, ceo of Pixar, during a telephone conference call with analysts regarding Emeryville, California, animation studio’s financial results for fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 1, 2005.