Codemasters has selected NaturalMotion’s animation middleware morpheme in a far-reaching deal covering upcoming titles and future game development.

Namco Bandai Games America announced a number of key executive appointments. Catherine Fowler has joined the senior management team as senior vice president of marketing, Robert Stevenson as vice president of online development, and Graeme Bayless comes to the organization as studio general manager.

Embark on your adventure to become the one mighty ruler of them all and take control of vast worlds, sprawling towns and cities or even control the world's horrific monsters to wreak havoc on your cowering enemies. Codemasters announced today that on Oct. 2, 2009 it will shut down the European/North American servers, and will be transitioning across to Webzen.

Black Bean Games has signed a distribution agreement with Codemasters that will see a roster of its brought to market in key European territories including the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Central Europe as well as Benelux later on in the year.

Playlogic announced that Adam McGowan has joined its ranks as Marketing Director. McGowan previously held the same position over at companies such as KOCH Media, Codemasters, Brash and has worked on titles such as Lord of The Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online and ArchLord.

Last night Codemasters showcased some of the star players from its 2009 portfolio at its San Francisco Gamers Day event. Featured titles included DiRT 2, FUEL, Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, Jumpgate Evolution, Overlord II, Overlord Dark Legend and Overlord Minions.

In Leisure Suit Larry Box Office Bust, a 3rd person adventure game, Larry takes a summer job working on his uncle Larry's movie lot doing odd jobs and trying to uncover a mole from another studio who threatens to air the studio's dirty laundry in the tabloids. Another victim from the Activision Blizzard merger seems to have been picked up by Codemasters, no other details were provided.

While yesterday Monumental Games acquired Swordfish Studios' Manchester studios, Codemasters announced it has reached an agreement with Activision Vivendi to take over Swordfish Studios' Birmingham-based games development house.

Check out the following new screens and trailers from Codemasters' Games Convention 2008 lineup:

• 'Damnation' (PS3/X360/PC) - 7 New Screens & Trailer
• 'Jumpgate Evolution' - 4 New Screens & Trailer
• 'The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria' - 4 New Screens
• 'Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising' (PS3/X360/PC) - New Screens
• 'Overlord: Dark Legend' (Wii) - 3 New Screens
• 'Overlord: Minions' (NDS) - 6 New Screens
• 'Rise Of The Argonauts' (PS3/X360/PC) - 14 New Screens & Trailer

Creating the ultimate competitive go-anywhere racing experience, FUEL will have players competing across wildly different terrain and executing spectacular death-defying stunts as they race dozens of varied two and four-wheeled rides and explore this epic world on an unprecedented scale.

Check out the following new screens and trailer from Codemasters' E3 2008 lineup:

• Bella Sara (NDS/PC) - New Screens
• Damnation (PS3/X360/PC) - New Screens
• Dragonology (NDS/Wii/PC) - New Screens
• Jumpgate Evolution' - New Screens
• Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising (PS3/X360/PC) - New Screens & Trailer
• Rise Of The Argonauts (PS3/X360/PC) - New Screens

Starring action star and avid gamer Vin Diesel, Wheelman will take you on a white knuckle thrill ride that unfolds throughout the streets of Barcelona. Featuring car chases inspired by Hollywood's most famous action-sequences, Wheelman will deliver powerful cinematic moments throughout the game's compelling storyline. Midway has appointed former Codemasters Director Craig Duncan as studio head for Midway Studios - Newcastle.

Codemasters has secured the exclusive video game rights to Formula 1, previously owned by Sony, allowing the UK based publisher/developer to develop a new generation of the multi-million selling Formula 1 game franchise across multiple platforms.

It all started when the ESA sent out invites to the press for its E3 Media & Business Summit 2008, revealing an exhibitors list that lacked quite a few names. So far, Activision Blizzard is not attending (nor renewing its ESA membership), as well as NCSoft, Foundation 9, and Her Interactive. In the meantime, a few others who were not on the initial participants list have confirmed their participation (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Bethesda), while id Software is still uncertain. Today, we can confirm that Atlus will not be present, but Codemasters, D3 Publisher, Majesco, Rebellion, Southpeak and Square Enix will be present.

Earlier this month SEGA revealed that it was closing Rally Racing Revo developer Sega Racing Studio in Solihull, central England. Confirming rumors, Codemasters announced that it has reached an agreement with SEGA to take over the Sega Racing Studio.

Majesco announced a partnership with Codemasters to distribute a number of new titles to PAL territories, including: Nanostray 2, Toy Shop, Cake Mania 2 and Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the Clue Bender Society (NDS), and Wild Earth: African Safari, Our House and Cake Mania (Wii) along with several unannounced games for both platforms.

Damnation features open environments, frenetic combat, daredevil acrobatics and high-octane vehicle-based stunts. Presenting players with an intense test of reflexes, quick thinking and rapid-fire conflict, Damnation will feature vast landscapes, each covering miles of distance and thousands of vertical feet.

Staying true to its early vision, NetDevil has improved upon the original Jumpgate in every way, with a complete graphics update, and the integration of advanced AI features to ensure unpredictable and compelling situations.

Codemasters Online announced that its new blockbuster MMO game, scheduled for release in late 2008, will be unveiled at the forthcoming Connect 2008 online gaming event. The new MMO will be fully playable for the first time at Connect 2008 in a world exclusive for the event!

Codemasters unveiled plans on a brand new global gaming event Connect 2008, to be held on March 14th / 15th at the Omega Sektor, Birmingham, UK. Connect 2008 is Codemasters Online’s 2 day gaming event spanning all of its gaming titles including TLotR Online, ArchLord, RF Online, D&D Online and much much more!

More than half of Codemasters' 2008 U.S. line-up will be created by in-house teams or development studios based in the U.S., including Spark Unlimited, inXile Entertainment and Liquid Entertainment. The line-up features games that span hard-core, casual and online content across next-gen platforms, PCs and handhelds.

Codemasters that it has updated the Neon game engine, which powered its racing title DiRT, and has renamed the proprietary middleware to EGO Game Technology Engine, a new name befitting its accomplishments and future potential. The new engine will power GRiD and Operation Flashpoint 2.

Codemasters and Epic Games are the latest publishers to join the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which represents U.S. computer and video game publishers, expanding the association's membership to 29.

Codemasters has reported the results from the most successful period in its 22-year history. According to the NPD Group the past 12 months Codemasters increased sales by 38% to $149million, with a 332% increase in sales of video game software in the US.

Last week Codemasters was victorious at the 25th annual Golden Joystick Awards winning the 'UK Developer of the Year 2007' award.