News by: Corey Owen

Monday, May 10 – Microsoft kicked off E3 with a bang in front of a packed house at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. When Microsoft comes, they come big, and this year was no different. They had plenty of big announcements and several great in-depth looks at some of the upcoming blockbusters. All the big boys were there, including Jay Allard, Peter Moore, and Robbie Bach, each with a specific area of Xbox's future to discuss. So without further ado let's explore the future of Xbox.

They got off to a quick start, showing great-looking trailers for Fable,

'DJ - Decks & FX', developed by Relentless software in Brighton, and exclusive to PlayStation®2, 'DJ - Decks & FX' allows wannabe DJs a chance to get behind virtual decks and mix like a pro.

This brand new application allows you to select tracks from a well-stocked record box, mix beats, add effects and even record and replay samples from the many tunes at your disposal. By utilising the USB headset you can even listen to individual tunes on one deck or check on recorded samples while your adoring crowd will hear the full impact of your DJ Set coming out

The action takes place in Garland Square, on the outskirts of London. The newly opened complex has been taken over by a terrorist group, and it's up to you to liberate it. Enjoy an unprecedented level of interaction with the background: shoot CDs and books off of store shelves, burn racks of clothing, break glass, or slice through metal bars. Blaze through levels using double-gun shooting action with two GunCon2s to take down enemies. Several gameplay modes and score rankings add to the game's replayability.

In addition to the gameplay elements of chase, race, explore and puzzle, Knight Rider 2 will also offer two complete new games modes: Combat and Mini Games.

As in the first Knight Rider, the player will play K.I.T.T. and must use all the unique features that this famous car was capable of in order to successfully complete missions. Whether its driving in ski-mode in narrow alleys, utilizing night vision to see where others can not, chasing the bad guys with incredible speed by activating the Turbo Boost or scanning buildings to analyse a situation, Knight Rider 2 will still offer all

Particularly in the spotlight this year, six blockbuster games are expected to wow fans and rack up record sales:

• Beyond Good & Evil: Based on an original idea by Michel Ancel and developed by Ubi Soft's in-house studios, this title blends an ambitious, fluid new gaming experience with an epic storyline. Its Jade engine ensures that players benefit from the most advanced technologies available in the industry today.
• Far Cry: This cunningly detailed action shooter - which boasts a meticulously designed, next-generation Far Cry engine - pushes the boundaries of virtual combat to shocking new levels.
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time:

Pop Idol, set to be the mass-market game of the year for PlayStation 2 and PC, will be exclusively presented from a themed stage on the booth. Codemasters will challenge show-goers to see how well they can perform as a virtual Pop Idol singer as they control the in-game voice of a contestant through the music-based rhythm-action gameplay.

Every in-game performance is judged by a computer-generated Simon Cowell, and there may be some very familiar Idols faces at Codemasters' E3 booth too...

Codemasters will also unveil the next level for its power-brand games including Colin McRae Rally, Operation Flashpoint and LMA Manager.

Premiering

Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg (NGC)

Gamers will collect magical eggs, use them to solve puzzles and nurture them with items found while exploring the world. Gamers will be able to hatch the eggs and discover magical creatures with a variety of skills, introducing a strategic planning element to the combat and puzzles. Players will explore massive, colorful environments, each with their own missions and secrets, and then defeat the evil boss of each stage. It’s up to Billy Hatcher to return light to the land!

Created and developed by Sucker Punch Productions, Sly 2: Band of ThievesTM is the team's second installment to their successful "Greatest Hits" debut title, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus®, which has sold more than one million copies worldwide since its launch in September 2002. Recognized for their artistic style, creativity, superior technology and brilliant storytelling abilities, Sucker Punch pushes the boundaries and revolutionizes the character-based action-adventure genre once again. Destined to be one of the hottest titles of the year and kicking off the holiday season with a September 2004 launch, Sly 2: Band of Thieves will stun players

American Conquest

Blitzkrieg

Cossacks: Back To War

Coassacks II: Napoleonic Wars

Rise of the Kasai, the sequel to the critically acclaimed The Mark of KriTM, builds upon the original with new storylines, characters, weapons, and cooperative online gameplay - offering a game three-times larger than the original. With 10 captivating levels and numerous collaborative fighting stages, gamers will start the journey by playing through events that took place 10 years prior to The Mark of Kri and then jump to 10 years later when a series of new spells have taken hold. Players can either assume the role of Rau, a heroic warrior unmatched in skill and strength, Tati, his younger,

NBA 2004

Go ahead - leave behind the old traditional style of game. You know, the one of uncontested lay-ups and simple chest-to-chest passes that’s been around for the last few years! Welcome to a new kind of hardwood. Turn on the skills of the next generation and experience the new NBA attitude with “NBA 2K4.” Start with fanatical crowds, blinding lights and deafening sounds that set the stage for each competitive match-up! Heart pounding and filling with anxiety, it’s now time for you to step on the court with a “let’s play” swagger! You got game, so rise above the

Developed by Insomniac Games, the company that helped define the action platform genre with the award-winning Ratchet & Clank franchise on PlayStation®2 and the highly acclaimed multimillion unit selling Spyro the DragonTM series on PlayStation, Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal once again sets the standard in its category by delivering online gameplay for the first time in an action platform game, as well as featuring the much-anticipated return of the dynamic duo Ratchet and Clank.

The third installment of the Ratchet & Clank franchise incorporates new elements of gameplay not seen previously in the series, including online and offline multiplayer

Created and developed by Naughty Dog, Inc., Jak 3TM is the team's follow-up to their best-selling title, Jak II TM and their Greatest Hits PlayStation®2 debut title, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy®. Together, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and Jak II have sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide, both playing a part in revolutionizing the action platform genre. Combining a variety of genres including driving, adventure, action-platform, puzzles, strategy and exploration, Jak 3 promises to deliver one of the most entertaining and interactive experiences to gamers this holiday season!

In Jak 3, nothing is the same. The story

"The video game industry has enjoyed tremendous success this past year due to the release of more 'AAA' titles, the introduction of the GBA SP and the price drop of consoles," says Darren Richardson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mad Catz, Inc. "These events have further fueled an increase in consumer demand for accessories of all the video game systems. Mad Catz is well positioned to increase its share of the market and is excited to showcase high quality, cutting-edge peripherals at this year's E3 event."

Some of the innovative products the Company will reveal at E3 include:

RetroCON(TM) (PlayStation(R)2)

Classically designed

Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. in conjunction with Sony Computer Entertainment America's Santa Monica Studios, SIREN puts the player into an alternate reality, capable of raising the heart-beat and creating a true sense of suspense and fear allowing for a new horror entertainment experience. In the blink of an eye, everything can change in SIREN. Set in a fictional Japanese village, a terrible force slowly turns the civilians into vile creatures. Seen through the eyes of 10 characters, SIREN immerses the player into a personal fight for survival and to unravel the truth behind the mysterious force.

With a story

"We are very excited about our 2003 release schedule and look forward to having these titles on display for the world to see during this year's E3 show," said Rod Cousens, Global President and Chief Operating Officer for Acclaim. "As the global audience for interactive entertainment continues to expand, we have focused our resources on creating a lineup that will appeal to the masses and hardcore gamers alike."

Acclaim's E3 product lineup includes:

ALIAS

Based on ABC Television's hit drama series, "Alias" is a third-person action adventure video game that allows players to step into the role of the series' lead character, Sydney

Konami of America, Inc., a subsidiary of Konami Corporation (NYSE: KNM - News), today unveiled a revolutionary new action title for Nintendo Game Boy® Advance.

Launching in September 2003, Boktai(TM): The Sun Is In Your Hand is the first videogame ever that incorporates natural sunlight into gameplay. Developed by Hideo Kojima, the creator of the internationally acclaimed Metal Gear Solid® game series, Boktai features a uniquely designed built-in solar sensor on the Game Boy® Advance cartridge that absorbs sunlight to influence the outcome of the game.

"Boktai represents a watershed moment in game design and marks the next step in