This holiday season, Namco Hometek Inc. offers a varied lineup of new videogame releases, from the number one fighting game available to romping platformer adventures to classic arcade favorites for every major gaming platform. Namco's lineup includes SOULCALIBUR II, R: RACING EVOLUTION, SPAWN: ARMAGEDDON, KILL.SWITCH, TIME CRISIS 3, I-NINJA and PAC-MAN VS.

Mike and Andy Parker will be premiering the first episode of the second season of their Webtoon COLLEGE UNIVERSITY, which will guest star pro-wrestling legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage. The pop culture spoof follows the misadventures of two college friends attending College University, the first university to allow the attendance of humans and primates. The series is animated solely by Mike Parker using Flash and MX.

The Everquest realm continues with the release of Sony Online Entertainment’s fantasy Real-Time Strategy game, LORDS OF EVERQUEST, now at U.S. and Canadian retail stores at a suggested retail price of $49.99.

Sarbakan has wrapped up two new online games for VRAK TV, a specialized Canadian channel operated by Astral Media Inc. The two games star Celestin, a bearded fairy in charge of a garage. In the first game, the players will make their way to Celestin's garage and answer trivia questions before they can build a racing jalopy from vintage bits and parts. The second title will have players test their new vehicles in a danger-filled racing derby.

Nyko Technologies will re-launch its Website, www.nyko.com, with an online contest "Online Gamer's Ultimate Fantasy." Running through Jan. 25, 2004, the contest has three levels of participation: fans can simply enter to win; sign up friends and family for additional points; or, play Nyko's mini-game AIR FLO BLAST for increased chances to win. Nyko will give the Grand Prize winner of the contest its flagship product, the Wireless Net Extender, which puts broadband Internet securely in any room of the house, without cables or programming.

Atari has shipped DRAGON BALL Z: TAIKETSU for the Game Boy Advance featuring 15 DBZ fighters, including, for the first time in the U.S., the legendary super Saiyan, Broly.

"DRAGON BALL Z is the consummate tale of good versus evil, and nothing depicts that tension better than Atari's newest DBZ fighting game, Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu," said Nancy MacIntyre, vp of marketing for Atari.

Ziff Davis Media Inc. has announced the launch of GAMING INDUSTRY NEWS (GIN), a monthly newsletter and a weekly e-mail, with an integrated online component (www.gamingindustrynews.com). GAMING INDUSTRY NEWS will feature up-to-date news, inside analysis, business and technology trends, opinions and commentary on the business of electronic videogames. GIN will be part of Ziff Davis Media's Game Group, based in San Francisco, California.

The CREATURE COMFORTS TV series’ Website (www.creaturecomforts.tv) has opened a new store. Customers can buy goodies including the making of book, DVD or video, plush toys, beanies, mugs, key rings, calendars and more. Also available in the new AardMarket is WALLACE AND GROMIT merchandise and 2004 calendars.

Pileated Pictures, the digital studio located in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, has released Cash Money's ROCK THA HOUSE, an online adventure game created for Universal Records and the hip-hop label, Cash Money Records. The Flash-animated ROCK THA HOUSE represents the latest and most ambitious collaboration between the three companies, having already produced a number of 2D and 3D game projects.

THQ Inc. recently released SPHINX AND THE CURSED MUMMY for PlayStation2, Xbox and GameCube to retail outlets in the U.S. The videogame transports gamers beyond the deserts of Egypt to amazing worlds based on fantasy and mythology with an immersive storyline and Hollywood-quality cinematics.

EVERQUEST ONLINE ADVENTURES: FRONTIERS, developed exclusively for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, was released by Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE) to North American retail stores on Nov. 18, 2003.

California’s governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his first-ever videogame appearance in Atari’s TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES for the next-generation game consoles released on Nov. 11, 2003 in collaboration with Intermedia, IMF, C2 Pictures and Columbia TriStar International. The videogame includes an exclusive “Making Of The Video Game” documentary containing footage of, and interviews with, Schwarzenegger and the entire cast, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a Hollywood videogame.

Gamers can save the City of Angels and take out the bad guys Hong Kong action flick style with Activision’s release of TRUE CRIME: STREETS OF L.A., which has just been shipped to retail outlets for PlayStation2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube. The game is rated "M" ("Mature" - Blood and Gore, Mature Sexual Themes, Strong Language and Violence) by the ESRB.

Sennari Inc. and Bullwinkle Studios announced they have entered into a partnership to create character driven wireless content. Bullwinkle Studios is a joint venture between Classic Media and Jay Ward Productions Inc., the original creators of ROCKY & BULLWINKLE. As part of the deal the two companies will create games, screen savers and ringtones based on animation franchises such as ROCKY & BULLWINKLE, BORIS & NATASHA, SHERMAN & PEABODY and DUDLEY DO-RIGHT.

Vivendi Universal Games trots out BARBIE HORSE ADVENTURES WILD HORSE RESCUE, the first Barbie video game created for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Featuring Barbie, the #1 girls software brand, this all-new 3D horse riding adventure challenges players to help Barbie and her friends find lost horses from the local riding school.

Electronic Arts shipped HARRY POTTER: QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP videogame to stores on Oct. 28, 2003, just in time for Halloween. In the game, Harry Potter fans are able to fully experience the magical power, speed and competition of Quidditch, the favorite sport of witches and wizards, for the first time.

Rose Bond, a veteran camera-less animator, has launched a new Website, http://www.rosebond.net. The site, designed by BlueMouseMonkey, contains clips featuring Bond's signature style in direct animation -- films made without a camera by drawing directly on the surface of clear film leader. THE CELTIC TRILOGY DOCUMENTARY clip focuses on Bond's fluid pen in motion. The installation section of the site holds clips representing her emerging interest in public art animated projections. The clip from ILLUMINATIONS #1 provides a glimpse into a groundbreaking new medium for moving image artists.

SEGA of America Inc. recently released BILLY HATCHER AND THE GIANT EGG, a new platform game exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube. Developed by the creator of SEGA's world-famous SONIC THE HEDGEHOG series, BILLY HATCHER AND THE GIANT EGG challenges players to solve puzzles, complete missions and defeat powerful bosses throughout massive, fantastical environments with the help of magical eggs.

Vivendi Universal Games will ship GROUND CONTROL II: OPERATION EXODUS, the sequel to the award- winning PC realtime strategy game for the PC, to North American stores in the second quarter of 2004.

Tribune Media Services International (TMSI) will launch News In Motion International (www.niminternational.com) in December, to deliver News In Motion and Knight Ridder/Tribune (KRT) animations, TV graphics and related editorial content to television stations and their Websites on a subscription and spot sales basis. Prior to the launch of the international site, producers can access the service at www.newsinmotion.com.