Disney Interactive has announced that the preview game DISNEY’S ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE—SEARCH FOR THE JOURNAL, the online multi-player preview to their retail game, DISNEY’S ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE—TRIAL BY FIRE, is now available free of charge. In the preview, players start their adventure in Iceland, 13 years before the retail game begins. Their mission is to search for and retrieve the Shepherd’s Journal, an ancient book said to reveal the secrets to finding the lost city of Atlantis. Users can get instant access at www.disneyinteractive.com.

Leading third-party game publisher THQ Inc. has announced their plans to release up to 15 GameCube titles across several genres before the end of 2002. This comes on the heels of their previous announcement to release 16 titles in 2001 for the Game Boy Advance. The initial lineup includes original titles, action-sports, kids' games, and exclusive licensed content. THQ also has several other Nintendo GameCube products in development that will be announced in the coming months.

Mainframe Entertainment, Inc. has licensed its popular REBOOT animation series to Infogrames, Inc., for development on various interactive game platforms. The multi-year licensing agreement was negotiated by licensing and merchandising veteran Joy Tashjian, president of Joy Tashjian Marketing Group, the exclusive representative for Mainframe's properties, who is also contributing to Mainframe's expansion into the consumer products area through a recently formed strategic alliance.

Leading 3D Web animation company Pulse has announced an exclusive strategic partnership with Anatomical Travelogue to bring anatomical and biological imagery to the Internet. Under the terms of the partnership, Anatomical Travelogue and Pulse will focus on creating Internet content for the fields of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, medical e-learning, medical technology and sports, and will also collaborate on a Website for HEALTH PROFILES, a TV series that Anatomical Travelogue is currently developing.

WizardWorks, a division of Infogrames, Inc., announced the first details about DRAGON BALL Z: THE LEGACY OF GOKU for the Game Boy Advance. Developed by Webfoot Technologies, Inc., THE LEGACY OF GOKU is an action-adventure role-playing game, which challenges players to defeat enemies throughout various quests in an effort to save Earth from the Saiyans and save the galaxy from the evil Frieza. In story mode, the primary mode of single-player action, players move from chapter to chapter, completing quests and fighting battles.

THRU THE MOEBIUS STRIP, the animated 3D feature film from acclaimed French graphic artist/novelist Jean "Moebius" Giraud, has launched its official website (www.moebius-strip.com). In conjunction with the launch, Moebius is scheduled as the first ever online celebrity interview and chat sponsored by WIRED. Details will soon be available on www.moebius-strip.com and in the July issue of Wired. "I'm trying to find a balance between the strange ideas I have and the dream of a movie for everyone," said Moebius in a quote from the WIRED story.

Mondo Media announced a content agreement with Yahoo!, which will bring three popular Mondo Mini Shows to Yahoo! The three shows are THUGS ON FILM, PIKI & POKO ADVENTURES IN STARLAND and LIKE, NEWS. "Our popular Mini Shows are a great fit for Yahoo! Broadcast," said Douglas Kay, president of Mondo Media. "Mondo has been very successful in capturing the essence of online entertainment and continues to create compelling characters and weekly shows that are sure to strike a chord with Yahoo! Broadcast consumers." David Mandelbrot, vice president and general manager, Yahoo!

Z.com, the now defunct Internet studio, has sold all rights to its animated Internet series, EVE & ADAM, LOST IN PARADISE to independent production company, Fertile Films. The Web series deals with love, sex and relationships in the Garden of Eden and features the voices of Cable Ace award-winner Mo Gaffney (MAD ABOUT YOU), Jonathan Penner (THE NAKED TRUTH, SEINFELD) and Patrick Bristow (ELLEN, FRIENDS). The deal includes seven completed Webisodes, e-postcards, additional Website content and several scripts and storyboards ready for production.

THQ Inc. has released DISNEY'S ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE, based on the upcoming Disney animated feature, for Game Boy Color. A Game Boy Advance version is scheduled for the fall. Players can choose to play as Milo, Vinny, Moliere or Audrey as they explore through 10 levels of movie-based gameplay in search of the lost city of Atlantis. "THQ is thrilled to bring Disney's highly anticipated animated adventure to life on the world's most popular handheld system," said Peter Dille, vice president, marketing, THQ.

Disney Interactive and Pixar Animation Studios have announced their newest kids’ CD-ROM title, Disney/Pixar's JESSIE'S WILD WEST RODEO. The new interactive 3D game takes players on a Wild West adventure with their favorite TOY STORY 2 characters. Kids can earn badges and “Critter Awards” as they participate in three different rodeo events, each with ten different levels. Players can even download game characters as screen savers.

As part of a stated goal to offer the most powerful console, PC and online gaming experiences, Microsoft has unveiled a series of new action-adventure, strategy, sports, sci-fi, fantasy and simulation games for Xbox, the PC and Zone.com. "We're committed to creating world-class PC and Xbox video game system games that excite the imaginations of all game players," said Ed Fries, vice president of the games division at Microsoft.

Activision has announced the release of two new Marvel superhero titles for the Game Boy Color. SPIDER-MAN 2: THE SINISTER SIX and X-MEN: WOLVERINE’S RAGE, both carrying a suggested retail price of $29.99, have already begun shipping to stores in North America. SPIDER-MAN 2: THE SINISTER SIX and X-MEN: WOLVERINE'S RAGE feature the same superhero action that turned these Marvel characters into legends," said Larry Goldberg, executive vice president, Activision Worldwide Studios.

Hoping to ride the coattails of the popular CBS television series, CBS Consumer Products and Infogrames have announced SURVIVOR: THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK INTERACTIVE GAME for the PC. Slated for a Fall 2001 release, the game is currently under development by Magic Lantern Playware, a creative business unit of Gold Creek Technology. The game features the real-life cast from the SURVIVOR television series, in-depth character interaction, immunity challenges, tribal councils and other elements from the show.

Warner Bros. Online has announced the launch of ZETA QUEST 3D, a "walk-through" online video game based on the popular Warner Bros. Animation's series THE ZETA PROJECT. Players assume the identity of Zeta, an anti-terrorist synthoid who has escaped government operators and gone in search of Dr. Selig, the scientist who created him. Classified as a high-tech menace-at-large, Zeta is pursued by his captors while trying to clear his name.

THQ has announced the signing of an agreement with Disney Interactive to release Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance versions of DISNEY/PIXAR'S MONSTERS, INC. Set for nationwide release in winter 2001, the games are based on the upcoming computer-animated feature from Disney and Pixar, which will hit theatres on November 2, 2001. DISNEY/PIXAR'S MONSTERS, INC.

In separate deals announced May 16, 2001, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. entered into agreements with RealNetworks and Macromedia to embed both RealPlayer and Flash client technologies into the PlayStation2 game console and software development kit (SDK). RealPlayer integration will enable the 10 million plus PlayStation 2 users to access streaming Internet audio and video content such as news, sports and other entertainment. The SDK will allow game developers, using the latest RealPlayer technology, to incorporate streaming media directly into their PlayStation 2 games.

Gnomon School of Visual Effects has announced the launch of Gnomon Online, a Web-based service structured to offer high-quality training in Alias|Wavefront Maya on the Internet. Paid membership will allow viewing of streaming-video tutorials in seven application areas. Gnomon Online membership is $49 per month and gives members access to a growing library of streaming-video tutorials and scene files. The service is going online with an initial three hours and twenty minutes of tutorials.

If you thought Sugar Ray was already a pretty animated band, wait until you see them at CartoonNetwork.com. The Website introduces an innovative extension to its Web Premiere Toons franchise when it premieres an animated music video starring the Lava/Atlantic recording group. The band has been working with Cartoon Network Online to create and produce a video based on their new hit single, WHEN IT'S OVER, from their forthcoming self-titled album, set for release on June 12, 2001. The animated video will premiere exclusively at CartoonNetwork.com on June 4, 2001.

French graphic artist/novelist Jean "Moebius" Giraud and director Frank Foster, who was also a founding senior VP at Sony Pictures Imageworks, announced the launch of the official Website (www.moebius-strip.com) for their film THRU THE MOEBIUS STRIP. The full-length animated 3D feature will be completed over the next two years and is scheduled to premiere in Paris in the summer of 2003. Part science-fiction, part fairy tale, THRU THE MOEBIUS STRIP is a story of physicist Simon Weir, who disappears mysteriously after he perfects a transportation portal.

RealNetworks, Inc. has announced the launch of RealArcade, a free gaming service that allows players to find, acquire, manage and play PC games. The initial beta release, available May 14, 2001, includes over 120 games from more than 40 publishers. In the past year, over 4 million unique registered users have downloaded PC games from the Real.com games Website. The company hopes to build on that user base with RealArcade, offering customers a powerful new delivery network and Internet gaming interface.