Tim Burton, creator of NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, has inked a deal to

bring a series of animated shorts featuring his Stainboy character to

shockwave.com. Viewers will be able to download the charcoal-drawn

superhero's first five-minute short sometime in Spring 2000. Under the

terms of the deal, Burton will keep full artistic control over the

characters and properties. The William Morris Agency brokered the deal

which allows for the cross over to TV if the shorts become a hit on the

Hitting the U.S. market April 2000, Humongous Entertainment will bring

families their new CD-ROM, PAJAMA SAM 3: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT FROM YOUR

HEAD TO YOUR FEET. Pajama Sam is back to uncover the mysterious

disappearance of four Peace Delegates who have not arrived at the Food

Pyramid for a Peace Conference. The suggested retail price will be $24.99.

On December 27, 1999, Activision, Inc. shipped VIGILANTE 8: SECOND OFFENSE

for the Sega Dreamcast. In this new adventure, players must stop the Coyote

terrorist gang that has traveled back through time in an attempt to change

the course of events that will allow evil to dominate the world. Developed

by Luxoflux Corp., the game features multiple modes of play -- single

player quest, arcade and survival mode, two-player versus, cooperative and

On January 5, 2000, Acclaim Entertainment started shipping their SOUTH PARK

RALLY for PlayStation with Nintendo 64, PC and Sega Dreamcast to follow

shortly. Developed by Tantalus Interactive, the kart-style racing adventure

features mission-based game modes and 27 characters from the Comedy Central

series. All versions of South Park Rally will include multiplayer modes

that feature races and cooperative game modes, including the multiplayer

On January 3, 2000, Activision, Inc. and id Software released QUAKE III

ARENA for Macintosh. The on-line multiplayer game features 26 deathmatch

and four capture-the-flag levels. The title is available at a suggested

retail price of $49.99. id Software offers such titles as Wolfenstein 3D,

DOOM, DOOM II, QUAKE and QUAKE II.

Disney/Pixar's TOY STORY 2 is coming to Sega Dreamcast. In March 2000,

Activision, Inc., in collaboration with Disney Interactive, will release

Disney/Pixar's TOY STORY 2: BUZZ LIGHTYEAR TO THE RESCUE for Sega

Dreamcast. The new release will be a third-person free-roaming adventure

game that uses 3D animation to deliver a unique mix of gameplay elements.

As Buzz Lightyear, players take on five big bosses in a quest to save Woody

from a toy collector over 15 levels.

Film.com has teamed-up with Troma, the production company responsible for

THE TOXIC ADVENGER, to bring the stop-motion clay characters of CRAPSTON

VILLAS to the Net. Set in Slumington, a fictional London neighborhood, this

ebony comedy is a wild soap opera spoof. The British down-to-Earth

blue-collar domestic drama features the voices of Jane Horrocks (Bubble in

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS and Little Voice in LITTLE VOICE) and Alison Steadman

(LIFE IS SWEET). The show originally aired on Britain's Channel 4 and won

Entertaindom, the Time Warner on-line broadcasting channel, has exercised

its option with Brilliant Digital Entertainment, Inc. to add 15 additional

new 5-8 minute "Webisodes" for the 3D animated MULTIPATH ADVENTURES OF

SUPERMAN. This extends the first season of SUPERMAN to a full 30 Webisode

commitment. Entertaindom has also agreed to give distribution to Brilliant

Digital's new 3D animated series based on the character XENA: WARRIOR

PRINCESS, plus eight Webisodes of a new series entitled KISS IMMORTALS

Viz Communications, a leading U.S. publisher of Japanese animation and

comics (anime and manga), including titles such as POKEMON, DRAGON BALL

Z, and Hayao Miyazaki's NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF WIND, announced new

Internet partnerships and the relaunch of their chief Web sites.

www.viz.com will provide the latest news and information on anime and

manga series. www.j-pop.com will feature reviews on the latest in

Japanese pop culture including anime, manga, games, music and film.

MeTV.com, a new Internet video on demand company, has commissioned

Sonalysts Studios to produce original broadband promos, trailers and

interstitial material for the MeTV.com Web site. The original broadband

material will appear as full-motion video on PCs with Internet

connections of 350kps or higher running Microsoft MediaPlayer.