Take-Two Interactive Software is expanding its Rockstar Games label with the formation of Rockstar Vancouver. Take-Two acquired Vancouver-based Barking Dog Studios, Ltd. for $3 million in cash and 242,450 shares of restricted common stock. Barking Dog will be renamed Rockstar Vancouver. Barking Dog Studios currently employs approximately fifty developers, and is working on a yet to be announced military video game to be published under the Rockstar brand, and will soon begin development on a second original video game title for Rockstar.

Stan Winston Studio and software publisher Midway Games Inc. have teamed to create an action-adventure videogame for next-generation consoles. The game, currently in development, is tentatively titled AREA 51 and is scheduled to ship in 2004. Stan Winston Studio will serve in a lead creative capacity in the development of the main alien enemies for the game, which takes three distinct characters on individual and cooperative missions in an attempt to unlock the extra-terrestrial mystery behind the titular Nevada desert locale.

Take-Two Interactive Software,
Inc. has formed Gotham Games, a new entertainment software publishing
label, launched to specifically focus on publishing content
accessible to consumers of all ages. All of Take-Two's software
products for the PlayStation game console will be published under the
Gotham brand, along with a selection of upcoming titles to be
published across multiple platforms. The company has named Take-Two
VP of publishing and business development Jamie Leece to head Gotham

Infogrames, Inc. has signed a deal with producers C-2 Pictures and Intermedia to develop and distribute video games based on the third film in the TERMINATOR series, TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES, scheduled to be in theaters summer 2003. Through the agreement, Infogrames has secured the exclusive interactive rights for video games based on the property for all home video game consoles and the personal computer. Infogrames also secured the exclusive first option for interactive rights to any TERMINATOR 4 film through the deal, subject to certain conditions.

Maryland-based game development company Firaxis Games has licensed the NetImmerse 3D graphics engine and toolkit from software developer NDL to use on multiple future titles. Firaxis was founded in 1996 by veteran gaming executive Jeff Briggs and designer Sid Meier. The company selected the NetImmerse engine after extensively researching many different options, according to Mike Gibson, director of development for Firaxis.

Interactive software publisher TDK Mediactive, Inc. has signed a worldwide licensing agreement with Disney Interactive to create games based on two upcoming Disney films that take their premises from well-known Disneyland theme rides. First up is the HAUNTED MANSION, which will make its way to the big screen in 2003. The theatrical release of HAUNTED MANSION will be supported by TDK Mediactive on most major video game platforms in time for Halloween and the holiday season.

Debuting on PC
screens before hitting the big screen, the STUART LITTLE 2 game for
CD-ROM from Infogrames, Inc. lets players in on action scenes from
the STUART LITTLE 2 motion picture. The game also features a photo
gallery of still photos taken directly from the movie. Nancy
MacIntyre, vice president of marketing for Infogrames' Beverly Studio
said, "We were very pleased with the performance of our first STUART
LITTLE CD-ROM game and are thrilled to be launching this new game in

Two
titles based on Disney's latest animated feature LILO AND STITCH have
been released by Sony Computer Entertainment America and Disney
Interactive, coinciding with the release of the film. DISNEY'S LILO
AND STITCH is an interactive, action-platform game for the
PlayStation game consoles and allows gamers to take on the role of
either Lilo or Stitch and embark on an exciting Hawaiian journey,
visiting many of the locations featured in the film. For the
PlayStation 2, DISNEY'S STITCH: EXPERIMENT 626 is an action shooter

Los Angeles-based digital
animation studio Animax Interactive has teamed with entertainer Dave
Coulier (TV's FULL HOUSE) and F3 Entertainment to bring the WEAVER
BEAVER AND FRIENDS characters to life. Animax designed and developed
a Website to support the release of two new kids' audio CDs featuring
Dave Coulier with WEAVER BEAVER AND FRIENDS. In addition to creating
the Website, Animax was significantly involved in everything from
initial character development to the jacket design used on both CDs.

THQ Inc. has released SCOOBY-DOO! for Game Boy Advance, based on the live-action/CGI movie coming to theaters on June 14, 2002. Players will explore locations featured in the movie, searching for clues to complete missions and ultimately, solve Spooky Island's big mystery. The environments for the game were inspired by actual movie stills and artwork. THQ will also be releasing SCOOBY-DOO! NIGHT OF 100 FRIGHTS, for PlayStation 2 and GameCube, later in 2002.

London's Mill Lab has been commissioned by BBC Interactive (BBCi) to create a new interactive game for SO, BBCi's Website for teens (www.bbc.co.uk/so). Based on the "Magic 8-Ball" game, ASK THE DJ was formulated by Mill Lab’s James Stone and John Sunter, and allows players to "ask the DJ" yes or no questions. This cool game, set in a nightclub, features a female house DJ and a male devil DJ who are battling each other for control of the turntables. The player chooses the style of music that gets played, from death metal to house, thereby deciding who wins and who gets kicked off.

Digital content and design studio Super-Fi has recently completed an original online game and a series of online trading cards for tvland.com, the classic TV cable channel's Website. Both the game and the trading cards are part of tvland.com's BATMAN Website, promoting the classic live-action series that originally aired from 1966-68. TV Land currently airs BATMAN daily at 7:00 pm. Super-Fi worked in collaboration with tvland.com’s creative director Michael Gaylord and head producer Steven Wishnoff to ensure the aesthetic integration of the game and trading cards into the BATMAN site.

THQ Inc. has released STAR WARS: EPISODE II "ATTACK OF THE CLONES" for Game Boy Advance, the first game that follows the storyline of the latest prequel in the STAR WARS saga. Players assume the role of three different ATTACK OF THE CLONES heroes: Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi, while commanding Republic gunships, speeders and Jedi starfighters in space combat. Players must also wield their lightsabers in side-scrolling lightsaber battles against Jango Fett, Count Dooku and other enemies.

At the 2002 E3Expo, children's video game publisher NewKidCo International Inc. unveiled their 2002 line up of next generation games based on properties in their catalog of licensees. New video games scheduled for release in 2002 include: titles based on both TOM AND JERRY and E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL for PlayStation2, GameCube and Game Boy Advance; DORA THE EXPLORER: THE HUNT FOR PIRATE PIG'S TREASURE for Game Boy Advance; THE SUPER STOO-PENDOUS WORLD OF DR. SEUSS for Game Boy Advance; and MUPPET PINBALL MAYHEM for Game Boy Advance.

TDK Mediactive, Inc. and Activision, Inc. have announced a strategic agreement to co-develop and co-publish video games. The companies have agreed that their initial collaboration will be based on TDK Mediactive's existing license to the sequel to DreamWorks Pictures' feature film SHREK. The first SHREK title to be released under this agreement is expected to launch on multiple platforms simultaneously with the theatrical debut of the SHREK sequel (currently scheduled for summer 2004).

Neighborhood friends ED, EDD N EDDY will soon be searching for jawbreakers on Game Boy Advance. Los Angeles-based videogame publisher Crave Entertainment has signed a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to develop a Game Boy Advance title based on the Cartoon Network series. The title is anticipated to ship in Fall 2002. The game will mirror the three friends' television quest to make money to buy jawbreakers. The object of the game is to help the Ed's win a contest whose grand prize is, of course, a lifetime supply of jawbreakers.

It's not the first time a 3D character has gone totally Hollywood (did you see SHREK at this year's Academy Awards?), but Lara Croft, the computer-generated star of the TOMB RAIDER franchise, can now say, "Get me my agent!" Is demanding her own trailer far behind? Los Angeles-based talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), announced they have signed wealthy British treasure hunter Lara Croft for representation.

Just one month after slashing Xbox prices in Europe and Australia, Microsoft has followed suit in the U.S., marking down its Xbox game console to $199, $100 less than it was originally priced. Sony and Nintendo have also announced discounts to their next-generation consoles. Sony's PlayStation2 will be available for $199 (down from $299), while Nintendo's GameCube, always the lowest priced of the three, will now be priced at $149, $50 less than before.

Classic Disney characters meet FINAL FANTASY in Square Co., Ltd. and Disney Interactive's new project KINGDOM HEARTS for Playstation2. KINGDOM HEARTS follows the story of 14-year old Sora, who meets Donald Duck and Goofy, the protectors of the Disney Castle. Sora, Donald and Goofy join forces to find Sora's friends and King Mickey and save the universe from evil. More than 100 Disney characters appear in the game including characters from ALADDIN, TARZAN, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, THE LION KING and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

Interactive entertainment software publisher Majesco has signed a licensing agreement with Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to develop and publish a line-up of Game Boy Advance games based on several of Cartoon Network's television properties. Under the terms of the agreement, Majesco will publish three titles for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance system using select characters from the series' COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG, COW AND CHICKEN, ED, EDD N EDDY, I AM WEASEL, JOHNNY BRAVO, MIKE, LU & OG and SHEEP IN THE BIG CITY.