Nick.com has announced the launch of its first online comic book, THE CRIMSON CHIN, an interactive spin-off of Nickelodeon's animated comedy series, THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS. The TV series follows the adventures of 10-year-old Timmy Turner and his troublesome fairy godparents Cosmo and Wanda. In August, in a move for TV and online convergence, THE CRIMSON CHIN Webisodes will debut as one-minute interstitials on Nickelodeon.
Children's software publisher Knowledge Adventure has announced the release of two new 3D action/adventure games on CD-Rom -JURASSIC PARK III: DANGER ZONE! and JURASSIC PARK III: DINO DEFENDER. DANGER ZONE! has players racing against time to collect dinosaur DNA before the ancient reptiles become extinct again. DINO DEFENDER has gamers trapping or tranquilizing renegade dinosaurs. "Kids love dinosaurs and Jurassic Park is the premier dinosaur brand the world over," said Leslie House, vice president, Knowledge Adventure.
Empire Interactive, one of the U.K.'s leading computer game developers and publishers, and Vivendi Universal Publishing has announced a distribution deal, which will bring six new franchises to North America. The deal includes fifteen titles scheduled to premiere in fall 2001. As part of the deal, VU Publishing has acquired the rights to distribute six of Empire's upcoming titles, VICTORIOUS BOXERS, END GAME, ANTZ RACING, STARSKY & HUTCH, GHOSTMASTER and WORLD SPORTS CARS in the U.S. and Canada. Empire plans to publish the titles for multiple next-generation platforms and PC-CD Rom.
TDK Mediactive Inc., a global publisher of entertainment software, has announced theyve begun development on a new title for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance system based on the mega-hit DreamWorks film, SHREK. The title, scheduled for a spring 2002 release, will feature characters from the movie in a kart race. "The response to SHREK both as a feature film and video game has been tremendous," said Vincent Bitetti, chief executive officer of TDK Mediactive.
Warner Bros. Online has ordered an additional 30 Webisodes of the 3D animated THE MULTIPATH ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN from producer Brilliant Digital Entertainment. The new installments will debut this fall, lifting the total number of Webisodes in the series to 75. In addition to SUPERMAN, WB.com airs Brilliant Digital's XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, CHOOSE YOUR OWN NIGHTMARE and starting this fall, selected animated music videos from such musical artists as Ja Rule, Ludacris, Redman and Lady Luck. Brilliant Digital president Kevin Bermeister said, "Warner Bros.
DAZ Productions, a 3D figure development studio, has announced the completion for their new animated short A NEW BREED. The 30-second action short was made to highlight the power and versatility of "stock" DAZ models when combined with the tools of Lightwave. The short uses DAZ's Michael and Victoria characters. The short is meant to highlight DAZ's many completed figures, which can save time and provide animators with a limitless number of body and facial types through the use of morph targets.
Computer developer and publisher NovaLogic Inc. has announced the upcoming release of the highly anticipated fourth installment of the COMANCHE series, based on the U.S. Army's next-generation armed reconnaissance helicopter -- the RAH-66 by Boeing-Sikorsky. COMANCHE 4 is scheduled to hit stores in late 2001. The game allows players to become a Comanche pilot. The helicopter's versatility in reconnaissance, ground attack and air combat roles will be emphasized in the game's all-new missions.
thequality.com, an interactive media production company that creates cross-cultural entertainment, has announced the launch of Europe's first multilingual online 3D movie. Launched on June 25, 2001, HORSES FOR COURSES went live in English, French and Spanish. The fractured fairy-tale has a mythical creature coming face-to-face with the modern world. The film was written in-house and produced using Brilliant Digital Entertainment's streaming 3d animation format, b3d.
To support the release of its new video game WORLD'S SCARIEST POLICE CHASES for PlayStation, Activision and Fox Interactive are launching a multi-million dollar promotional campaign that includes a sweepstakes with a Grand Prize giveaway package worth more than US$50,000. Fans of the game can enter to become a Grand Prize winner of a racing caliber AEM Intercept -- Honda Civic SI, valued at more than $40,000, along with a trip for two to Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School.
WB.com has launched the first of eight all-new installments of the highly popular STEPPENWOLF: THE X-CREATURES PROJECT Web series. Additionally, the original eight installments, which launched on Warner Bros. Online in April 2001, are now available at Netscape.com. The new Webisodes will debut every three weeks on WarnerBros.com, while the first-story-arc installments roll out biweekly on Netscape. The series sends a group of adventures into the deep jungle in search of the x-creatures.
Aspyr Media Inc., in partnership with Eidos Interactive Inc., has shipped TOMB RAIDER: CHRONICLES for the Macintosh. The game takes place at a memorial service for Lara Croft -- her body still not found. It offers insight into Lara Croft's mysterious past, featuring four untold adventures, which take our heroine to the city of Rome, a German U-boat, a small Irish Island and a hi-tech tower block. New features include tightrope walking, parallel bar swinging and a hand-to-hand stealth attack.
Coinciding with the theatrical release of Lara Crofts film debut, Activision, Inc. has launched TOMB RAIDER: CURSE OF THE SWORD for Game Boy Color the week of June 25, 2001. TOMB RAIDER is undeniably one of the hottest properties in interactive entertainment today, stated Kathy Vrabeck, executive vice president, Activision Global Publishing and Brand Management.
Wow! If you haven't checked out the latest games and the newest platforms you need to. John Edgar Park did at E3 and reports on the advances.
In celebration of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERERS STONEs leap from the book to the big screen, America Online will offer an exclusive premiere of the films new trailer on Wednesday, June 27, two days before it debuts in theaters on Friday, June 29, 2001. AOL members can view the trailer at AOL (keyword: Harry Potter) or via AOL PLUS, the enhanced multimedia content sevice for members who sign on to the AOL service through a broadband connection. Based on the first of J.K.
Disney Interactive has announced that the preview game DISNEYS ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRESEARCH FOR THE JOURNAL, the online multi-player preview to their retail game, DISNEYS ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRETRIAL 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 Shepherds 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
