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A while ago we reported on the completion of the Dolby Pro Logic II system for PlayStation 2. Yesterday evening, we learned from IGN that Dolby Laboratories and Factor 5 have finally made it official - GameCube developers will be able to use Dolby Pro Logic II in their forthcoming software. Rogue Leader developer Factor 5 has been collaborating with Dolby Labs over the last few months, developing a new version of MusyX that includes Pro Logic II support. As Factor 5 president Julian Eggebrecht told IGN, "the developer just throws a switch and MusyX Pro Logic Output is changed to Pro Logic II and you have full cinema-like five channels of sound." Dolby Pro Logic II allows developers to use true 3D audio in their games, and "to the listener Pro Logic II is extremely similar to Dolby Digital." It actually enjoys a couple of advantages over its big brother. For example, Pro Logic II is downwardly compatible with Stereo and Pro Logic hardware, so you don't have to worry about whether your hi-fi is up to scratch. Equally important to the developer is immediacy, and there is no delay due to encoding with Pro Logic II, nor is the data compressed, whereas Dolby Digital applies heavy compression. Although, in its defence, DD's channel separation is superior, and boasts a specific bass channel, whereas Pro Logic II does not. Developers are promised a MusyX update "within the next few days", and "it should be a matter of minutes to get it going for everybody who is already using MusyX 3D API." Related Feature - Pro Logic II meets PS2

When Xbox bigwig Seamus Blackley revealed that he was leaving Microsoft yesterday, there were some suggestions that either he had been pushed out after the console's disappointing early form in Europe and Japan, or that he was jumping ship before its decks got too far below the waterline. Speaking to GameSpot last night though, Seamus confirmed that the real reason behind his departure is that he was getting frustrated with hyping up other people's games instead of designing his own. A veteran of Looking Glass and Dreamworks Interactive, Seamus will now be leaving to set up his own development studio. Hopefully the result will be more Terra Nova than Trespasser. "With the current publishing model, it's hard for publishers to take big risks and to support new technology or new types of ideas. So I was thinking that I could make a new property that would change some of that and come out with some really cool products", Seamus explained. "I went back to Microsoft and started talking to publishers, developers, and potential partners .. and the enthusiasm was totally incredible and shocking. Especially after the GDC, it got to a point where they said, "Listen Seamus, we have to make a decision. Are you going to come do this with us?" To some extent our hand was forced because we have to announce a company before E3. That's why the timing is the way it is and I guess I'm an idiot for thinking people wouldn't try to come up with conspiracy theories about it." So there you have it. Mystery solved. Related Feature - Seamus Blackley leaves Microsoft

When Nintendo originally announced the GameCube's European launch details, it was meant to retail in the UK at £150, a couple of quid below the €249 RRP at current exchange rates. Retailers were soon up in arms about the slim margins this would leave them with though, and soon the street price had risen to around £165 at most stores. Flash forward to yesterday, and with less than two weeks to go before the Cube's long overdue arrival on our shores, Nintendo dropped a bombshell, slashing the price to €199 and adding that it "expected" the console to retail for £129 in the UK. Given that £129 is the equivalent of about €210 at the moment, that seemed a reasonable expectation. Indeed, just a few hours after the press release arrived from Nintendo, one online store told us that "the £129.99 price announced is the final retail price". Sadly it now looks like they jumped the gun, with retailers reported to be hiking the price to £139.99. From a consumer viewpoint it looks like the Brits are being ripped off once again, expected to pay 15% more than their European neighbours for the same piece of kit. Retailers obviously have a different story though. Nintendo announced the new £129 "expected" price point in a surprise press release at 8am yesterday morning, but it wasn't until this morning that most retailers found out what Nintendo would be charging them for the Cube. Needless to say the trade price came as something of a shock, with one retailer telling us that there was "no way" they would be able to sell the console at £129. "Yet again Nintendo's Press Department make the assumption that retailers can afford to sell their machines for them without making a profit", one anonymous retail source told us this morning. "It's disappointing for the customers most of all - I am sure many were excited by the news yesterday, and will now blame us on the frontline for putting the price up by £10." Whoever you choose to blame for the price hike, the sad fact is that British punters will probably be paying almost €30 more than their European counterparts for the GameCube come May 3rd.

There were few at Microsoft more profoundly involved with the Xbox project than Seamus Blackley, and according to the Reuters news agency, he has resigned from the company. "He has left Microsoft to pursue other opportunities," Xbox spokesman James Bernard explained. "We value his contributions." Although many tabloids in the UK embellished the story of Rick Belluzzo's departure from Microsoft to make it look like a vote of no confidence for the new console, Blackley's involvement with the project ran far, far deeper than Belluzzo's. According to Reuters, Blackley will not be ready to discuss details of his new venture for another two weeks at least. Whether it relates to gaming or not is, at present, unknown.

Both the Xbox and GameCube European price reductions have proved popular with the retail sector, although Nintendo apparently didn't tell anybody about its plans until this morning. As it happens, many of the retailers and industry alumni gracious enough to accept our calls at the crack of dawn this morning were completely oblivious. "It's a wise move by Nintendo," Paul Kenwright of leading independent Virtual Games told us this afternoon. "They've learnt a lot from the demise of N64, and the situation with the three big guns is going to get interesting, especially after the Xbox price reduction." Many people believe GameCube will be the first under-the-TV console from Nintendo to boast really strong third party support since the Super Nintendo, although some are less expectant. "They just wont provide dev stuff to UK developers who want it," one game developer, who wished to remain anonymous, told us today. Retailers are excited at the prospect of the price reductions invigorating sales of the Xbox and GameCube. "The focus must now turn to Sony," though, Paul explained, "to see what they're going to do with their hardware." Speculation is already rife this Monday that Sony plans to react to the price drop in kind. As we reported this morning, Ed Gilmour of Play Distribution feels the same way. "I suspect you could even see a Sony price point of £99.99," he told us. "They might do 149 or 179. They might wait until the last minute - Sony is a very crafty company." Although few retailers have adjusted their pricing, protective of their margins which were thrown into doubt last time, overall people are excited. In the last few minutes, we've been able to confirm that £129 in a press release really does equate to £129 at retail. This time around. "The £129.99 price announced is the final retail price," one retailer told us. "We're informing our customers right now that they will be charged at this lower price." "The price drop wasn't really needed to sell more 'Cubes but its gives us gamers £40 to spend on another game so its ace," he added. Update - unfortunately, nothing is every quite what it seems... Related Feature - GameCube €199 / £129

Nintendo has launched a bizarre advertising campaign which centres around enormous clear cubes. Or Clear Cubes, if you're Nintendo. The campaign will see huge transparent Cubes, either packed or surrounded by a fixture of diverse entertainment and live performances, appearing outside three major HMV stores in England and Scotland. Notwithstanding the lack of details, this still sounds fairly interesting. But as we delve a little deeper into Nintendo's latest press release, it becomes clear that the seven-foot Cubes will house a range of entertainers; kitsch dancers, contortionists and magicians are promised, along with aerobics and Tai Chi sessions to attract passers-by. If you fancy stopping by, the Clear Cubes will be on display outside HMV stores in Covent Garden, London, The Pavilion Centre, Birmingham and Argyle Street, Glasgow, from this Friday, 26th April until Thursday, 2nd May, the day before the console's launch in Europe. The latest Nintendo press release still refers to the console's price point as £129, fuelling speculation that retailers may already receive a reasonable margin on that figure, and that an embarrassing pre-launch price bump from agitated retailers will not impede the company's advertising efforts as it did when the original pricing was unveiled. Related Feature - Nintendo busts out the chequebook

This week, Sony's PlayStation 2 Platinum line receives an update in the shape of This Is Football 2002, poised to provide a cheaper alternative to Konami's forthcoming ISS2, as well as Konami's other Japanese export, Pro Evolution Soccer. Meanwhile, PSone owners (and those of us who missed it the first time around) will soon be able to enjoy C12: Final Resistance on the PSone Platinum label. Both games are due out this Friday. Related Feature - PS2 goes Platinum

As footy fans will already know, the Scottish Premier League is in a spot of bother at the moment. The Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers has objected to a subscription-based SPL TV channel, and although BBC Scotland still plans to carry highlights of the games, the friction between the Old Firm and their ten Premier League competitors is now at its peak. The other clubs have threatened to resign from the league in two years time, and Celtic and Rangers could very well move to the English leagues to seek balanced competition.

The reaction from distributors to the Nintendo GameCube price cut has been as positive as it was for Microsoft Xbox barely four days ago. We spoke to Ed Gilmour at Play Distribution this time, and got his initial reaction. "It would suggest a mass-market approach," Ed told us. "Nintendo seems to be going for the lot, and consequently it should be interesting. It really is Sony's market, but you've had an announcement from Microsoft last week, and an announcement from Nintendo this week, and nothing from them. You have to expect them to turn around and do something now." "I suspect you could even see a Sony price point of £99.99. They might do 149 or 179. They might wait until the last minute - Sony is a very crafty company. It's an exciting time in the industry." In terms of the GameCube hardware, Ed reckons it will appeal to gamers. "Of course the PS2 is arguably superior with its games and DVD function, but I think hardcore gamers will be more impressed by Nintendo." Will we ever see another £299 console launch? "It hasn't been that successful - no one's really done it successfully - so probably not, but then again you don't know what the next generation is going to be like. Nevertheless, it is a stumbling block for the consumer. People just aren't interested in spending £299 on a console, except for the hardcore gamers." Related Feature - GameCube €199 / £129

A GameCube version of popular Japanese RPG series Evolution is in the making, developer ESP has confirmed. Evolution focuses on a civilisation which has developed advanced machines of travel and war. Although no Western release dates have been discussed, the game is due out in Japan on 26th July, and is said to consist of elements from both previous Dreamcast releases. Graphics will obviously take a step up, and improved difficulty settings are promised, along with new areas to explore. The series has appeared in the West several times, so the chances are it's not too much to expect a repeat here.

Nintendo today announced that GameCube, launching across Europe on 3rd May, will launch at a recommended retail price of €199, and is expected to retail in the UK at £129. Nintendo has promised approximately 500,000 units for the European launch of GameCube, and this new low price will doubtless mean these sell out immediately. When Nintendo originally announced the launch price of €249 / £150 for its GameCube console in Europe, retailers in the UK had to increase the price in order to achieve a reasonable margin. Whether we will see a repeat of that is at present unknown. Last Thursday, Microsoft cut the price of its Xbox videogames console to €299 / £199 to try and boost sales across the continent. Even if Microsoft weren't trying to prove a point, Nintendo certainly is. Related Feature - Xbox price cut to €299

When the first Parappa game arrived on our PlayStations a couple of years back, we were drawn by the wonderfully stylised characters and graphic style, and subsequently hooked on the catchy tunes and frenetic, cunningly simplistic button-bashing gameplay. Although it proved to be somewhat short-lived, Parappa The Rapper established the standard for others to follow when it came to music-based games. Now Parappa is back, this time on PlayStation 2, but can he live up to the expectations of fans in a genre that has advanced so much in his absence? The answer is, in a word: no. Parappa 2 is essentially the same game as its predecessor. The ridiculous storyline is played out in the same garish "2D in a 3D world" graphics, even though the style is helped greatly by the improved resolution, and the gaming mechanics are exactly the same. We never expected Parappa 2 to be some kind of pioneer in deep, cerebral storytelling, but what they've actually come up with is borderline insanity. To be honest though, that's where the game's charm stems from... Parappa's had his fill of noodles ever since he won a contest to win a year's supply of the things. Unfortunately, for some reason all the food in Parappa's town is mysteriously turning into noodles of its own volition. Of course Parappa and his mates take it upon themselves to get to the bottom of the mystery, by rapping with a series of "teachers" who can each help Parappa in their own special way.

"In just the last few years video games have become a sport unto themselves". A quote from the latest interview with CPL head honcho Angel Munoz perhaps? Actually, no - it's a line from a 1983 episode of That's Incredible. If you thought professional gaming was a new invention, you'd be wrong. Twin Galaxies have been keeping high scores for arcade games for the last two decades, and way back in 1983 their "Coronation Day Tournament" was featured on ABC's TV series That's Incredible, along with a bizarre invitational tournament hosted by the show at their own Hollywood studio. The whole thing was filmed in front of a live audience, complete with running commentary from the show's presenters, and twenty years on Twin Galaxies have unearthed a dodgy old video recording of the broadcast and uploaded it to their website. Marvel as nineteen of the USA's top gamers battle it out on cutting edge arcade games such as Frogger, Joust, Super PacMan and Donkey Kong Jr. Gawp at the embarrassing haircuts. Giggle at gems such as "he just grabbed a bunch of bananas for four hundred points", and the host trying to explain the rules of a game called Burger Time, in which the hero is "pursued by walking hot dogs, pickles and fried eggs". Ah, they don't make them like they used to... To see this hilarious piece of gaming history, head over to the Twin Galaxies website.

Rapidly growing Korean publisher Phantagram has unveiled the line-up of games that it will be demonstrating at next month's E3 trade show in the US. Although we already knew about most of their titles, there was one slight surprise in the list - R-Type III. Apparently Phantagram have secured the publishing rights for an all-new GBA sequel to the classic side-scrolling shooter series. Hopefully we'll have more details on that in the next few weeks, along with all the latest on their wide range of PC and console titles - Duality, Strident, Phantom Crash, Shining Lore, Kingdom Under Fire 2 and .. er .. an as-yet untitled restaurant management sim. If you'd seen the unsanitary state of my kitchen, you would know that putting me in charge of a restaurant is a recipe for disaster... Related Feature - Shining Lore preview

we talked to Mobile Forces producer Colin Macdonald about how the project got started, from the inspirations and ideas behind it to balancing the basic gameplay. Today we take a look at the other end of the development cycle, catching up on some of the changes that have been made since the demo was released a few weeks ago.

The Max Payne movie adaptation continues to gain steam like all the festering manhole covers of the big apple's rotten heart were pumping into its veins. Production company Dimension Films today revealed that they have signed Shawn Ryan (who describes himself as "a writer and a gamer") to pen the movie's script. Ryan is probably best known at the moment as the brains behind popular cable TV cop series The Shield, although he's also worked on Buffy spin-off Angel as a writer and co-producer in recent years. He was said to be "ecstatic" when he was offered the chance to script Max Payne, describing the man himself as "an incredible character with a rabid fan base". That's putting it mildly. Related Feature - Max At The Movies

While the world isn't exactly short of online-focused action games at the moment, one of the more interesting efforts we've come across lately is Mobile Forces. Mixing Unreal Tournament style on foot action with a range of driveable vehicles and vast sprawling maps, it's certainly a nice change from your run-of-the-mill Counter-Strike clone. With the game now nearing release, we caught up with producer Colin Macdonald to find out more...

Radica, the company behind the ubiquitous range of Gamester accessories, has announced its launch line up of GameCube peripherals, as developed by an international team and hopefully fairly ergonomic and durable throughout. The range consists of two major controllers; the "GameCube Pro Racer" handheld steering wheel at £19.99, and the fairly standard "GameCube Controller" at £14.99, and diversifies into memory cards, storage cases and connection leads, including the GBA link cable. Radica MD John Doughty commented: "The launch of the GameCube provides us with another perfect opportunity to assert ourselves as the UK's leading third party manufacturer," he explained, referring to the recent Xbox launch in Europe, which Gamester was able to capitalise on during a period of poor supply for high-end extras like the RGB SCART cable.

TDK Mediactive announced today an exclusive three-year, renewable worldwide licensing agreement with Jim Henson Interactive, a division of The Jim Henson Company, for the Muppets. The license will give TDK the exclusive right to develop games based on classic Muppet characters such as Kermit the trademarked Frog and his better half Miss Piggy. The press release namechecks all the big format holders including Nintendo's GameBoy Advance handheld and PC platforms. It looks like we're in for a lot of Muppetry. "The Muppet license is a continuation of our efforts to diversify our business across all viable platforms, categories and age demographics," said TDK Mediactive CEO Vincent Bitetti. TDK Mediactive is responsible for the true-to-the-film Xbox version of Shrek, and recently announced a game based on the Robotech TV series. Although Shrek suffered critically, we look forward to seeing what the company can do with its two most recent announcements. Related Feature - TDK and Mattel announce Robotech: Battlecry

JoWooD Productions Software AG is targeting the Nordic region of Europe, and has begun negotiations with local distributors in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, the company announced this morning. "The Nordic region is important to our continued expansion strategy," says Wilhelm Hamrozi, COO JoWooD Productions. "On a European level the region is amongst the four largest markets in Europe concerning PC titles, and the seventh largest market concerning console games. To us the region is very important and we will shortly be announcing our choice of Nordic distributors." Newly appointed Nordic PR Manager for JoWooD, Hans F. O. Ginderskov, commented: "Journalists are in for a real treat with products such as Cultures 2 - The Gates of Asgard, Industry Giant 2, Hotel Giant and many others. The company has been through a substantial growth during the past year, and I am confident JoWooD will become successful in the region."

For those of you looking for some gratuitous gore and a selection of guns that can take a man's head clean off (or an arm or leg, for that matter), the wait is over. Yes, the multiplayer demo of Raven's forthcoming mercenary action game Soldier of Fortune II is now available. Weighing in at a mere 51Mb, the demo includes a single map which is playable in deathmatch, team deathmatch, elimination and infiltration modes, with all of the weapons and a selection of skins from the full game also available. You can now grab the demo from any of the following sites -

Despite the recently announced price cut here in Europe, Microsoft have confirmed that Xbox sales will fall short of their initial targets. Originally the plan was to shift between 4.5m and 6m units by the end of June but, according to a report from Reuters, Microsoft has now lowered that figure to a more attainable 3.5m to 4m. Although the Xbox got off to a great start in the USA, sales have fallen behind those of the GameCube in recent weeks, and the Japanese and European launches have both proven disappointing. Next week's dramatic price cut should help to revitalise the Xbox's fortunes in Europe, but it has a lot of lost ground to catch up on.

Rare isn't working on Killer Instinct 3, IGN is reporting. According to an official spokesperson for the company, an array of issues need to be resolved before anything concrete can be attempted. "In addition to holding back further development until we feel we can really bring something new and worthwhile to the genre, one of the main reasons that there haven't been any recent additions to the series is that all of the key people who were involved in the creation of Killer Instinct have been working on different projects," the spokesperson explains. "There's also the matter of knowing which way to take the franchise: some people prefer one instalment to the other, some champion 2D while others insist that only 3D will sell nowadays, etc. It wouldn't be a straightforward undertaking in any sense of the word: opinion is doomed to be split on the final decision." Killer Instinct 3 may yet be on the cards, but press-shy Rare are unlikely to announce it any time soon, even if development does begin. In other words, E3 is unlikely to herald an announcement, let alone screenshots or footage of the game in action. Rare has yet to confirm or deny its rumoured multi-platform agenda. Related Feature - Activision deal far from final

The Official Xbox Magazine is reporting that the first five online Xbox games for the US will be MechAssault, Whacked!, Unreal Championship, Ghost Recon and NFL Fever. This information comes courtesy of Microsoft's US Product Manager Steve Fowler, speaking at a presentation in London earlier today. The Xbox Live service, as it will be known, will launch later in the year in the US, and with the exception of NFL Fever the above titles are all expected to appear as part of the equivalent European service. Details to be announced. Fowler also revealed that MechAssault will feature an online matchmaking service, voice commander support with voice-altering software and full team play for between eight and sixteen players. Information about pricing was not discussed. Expect to hear more about Xbox Live at E3, when Microsoft is expected to reveal full details of the rollout. Related Feature - Xbox price cut to €299

Sega.com Inc. has announced the launch of a new division, Sega Mobile, dedicated to bringing Sega gaming to mobile phone and PDA users in North America. Based on the idea's success in Japan, where Sega Mobile has more than 2.5 million subscribers, the new division will give mobile and PDA owners the chance to play games from Sega's extensive back catalogue redesigned for their systems. The wireless gaming market, which analysts are predicting big things for in the next few years, is Sega Mobile's prime target. The propagation of standards like 3G, and the growing consistency in the diverse US mobile market means that Sega Mobile may be able to tap into the billions in revenue hidden in the blossoming wireless games market over the next four years. Amongst titles confirmed for Sega Mobile are Pengo, Flicky, Puyo Puyo and Monaco GP, not to mention Monkey Ball, a line-up which panders to the die-hard Sega fan and casual gamer alike. Since Sega is not a self-publishing company these days, the chances are that if this operation is to successfully move to Europe where, let's be honest, the mobile market sits between its chaotic US equivalent and the space-aged Japanese one, the company has to be talking to publishers about it right now. As such, it's not really Sega's decision as to whether we end up playing Monkey Ball on our phones and PDAs, and the company told us as much when we probed them for comment earlier today. One thing's certain though - a move to the States makes the chances of a European initiative a lot more realistic.

Ubi Soft's Montreal-based development studio is working a new game based on the highly detailed geopolitical universe portrayed by writer Tom Clancy. The game, Splinter Cell, is to be a third person stealth action game dealing with issues such as cyber-terrorism, shadow agencies and the ubiquitous covert operations. The game is due for release on Xbox and PC this autumn, with further next generation versions (presumably PS2 and GameCube) pencilled in for 2003. Players of Splinter Cell will take control of Sam Fisher, a black-ops man for NSA sub-agency Third Echelon. Fisher is a Solid Snake-style character capable of infiltrating high-security strongholds and neutralising the enemy using whatever means necessary, and one suspects the game takes its cues in no small amount from Konami's multi-million-selling PlayStation 2 release. Nevertheless, this is an ambitious title for Ubi Soft and the screenshots delivered by the publisher today are very promising, demonstrating some funky infrared image intensification for a start. Texturing seems solid and the game is expected to take advantage of the advanced features available to Xbox developers, such as environmental bump mapping. Splinter Cell will be seen for the first time at E3 in Los Angeles next month. Until then, feast your eyes on the handful of screenshots available. Related Feature - Splinter Cell screenshots

As many of you will no doubt have noticed by now, we've just launched a brand new user login system here on EuroGamer. Our code monkeys have been tied to their desks working around the clock for the last few days to bring you some much requested new features for the site, such as the ability to reserve your username and an edit facility to let you correct your comments after you've posted them. Registered users even get their names highlighted. In bold. And none of this will cost you a penny. How's that for an offer you can't refuse? All you have to do to become part of the EuroGamer family is head over to the create login page and let us know your chosen login name, real name, e-mail address and what password you want to use. This information can be stored as a cookie on your PC, so you won't have to login every time you visit the site unless you really want to, and you won't have to type out your name and e-mail address every time you post a comment. Note that if more than one person tries to register the same name, our crack team of EU negotiators will settle the dispute as soon as humanly possible. Anybody caught trying to steal another person's name will be forced to sit at the back of the class and wear a dunce hat, so don't even think about it. This new login system is just the first of many changes and new features that will be coming online at EuroGamer over the next few months, including improvements to our price comparison system, feature indexes and release date list, as well as an optional weekly newsletter for EuroGamer members. So keep your eyes peeled!

Dead or Alive 3 has not been a long time coming, as it had to be ready for the console's launch to form the backbone of the software line-up alongside Project Gotham Racing and Halo. Visually though, Tecmo has achieved what no other developer has so far managed to do with the Xbox hardware. The game's opening screens are a testament to Tecmo's prowess with the Xbox graphics chip. The title screen, for instance, is simply a logo overlaid on a flyby of a random stage from the game, and it looks absolutely stunning. Be it the incandescent mid-afternoon atmosphere of the beach stage or the cold, hard lines of a glasshouse perched atop a neon-endowed skyscraper, the graphics leave a strong impression. They also carry Tecmo's Dead or Alive 3 on their shoulders. Character design and animation is absolutely stunning, with hundreds upon thousands of frames spent on the fine details like the way hair flaps around in the wind and the effect of being hurled to the ground on the lacy bits of Leifang's outfit, as well as more substantial details like Kasumi's bouncing bosom and Tina's stunning curves. All right. Parents, this game is a wet dream waiting to happen. If you want to stimulate growth, buy your teens an Xbox with a copy of Dead or Alive 3, and watch them sprout hairs and ogle the girl next door when they think your back is turned.

At the crack of dawn this morning, Microsoft confirmed its plans to reduce the price of Xbox in Europe to €299 / £199, effectively relaunching the console at this new price point on 26th April, and providing software reparations for consumers who have already acquired consoles at the higher price point. We asked Andy Ingham of Play Distribution whether he thought the Xbox in Europe has been a success. "I don't think you can call it a success in any sense of the word, so far," he told us, somewhat brutally, "but then it's far too early to really say. The price drop should make a big difference to the situation." The price cut is already popular in the retail sector and with distributors, but what sort of effect will the move have on sales, both in hardware and software? "Fantastic, I'd imagine," Andy enthused. "It's definitely got to increase sales, and this should allow it to compete with PlayStation 2." The other question on our lips was whether this reduction would affect GameCube sales. GameCube launches a week after the Xbox price cut, which is unlikely to prove a coincidence. "I don't think it will have much effect, really," he told us. "It's a different kind of market. These products seem to be targeted towards a younger age group, so I say it probably won't affect sales of the GameCube at all. They will be what they are." Related Feature - Xbox price cut to €299

Spyro the Dragon creator Insomniac Games has announced its latest project, the Jak & Daxter-alike, Ratchet & Clank. This PlayStation 2 project will emulate J&D's seamless worlds with an equally impressive array of animation and detail according to Sony's official PlayStation.com website (which, based on our encounters with the staff, is trustworthy as opposed to your average corporate mouthpiece). Furry space mechanic Ratchet and his shoulder-mounted refugee robot buddy Clank are fighting to save the galaxy from an evil empire, whose plans for a new hybrid world could claim the lives of millions of spaced out humans. Insomniac Games has focused on augmenting the duo's quest with a mixture of 35 different weapons and gadgets, including crowd-pleasers like the flame thrower, making this sound a degree less cuddly than its competition. Although Ratchet can collect and spend the game's currency, bolts, on ammo and other items from interplanetary merchants, the game will still allow you to succeed with only a small fraction of its treasures uncovered. Objectives can be skipped, too, for Ratchet to return later and complete. All in all, the game sounds and looks very similar to Jak & Daxter, and the official screenshots indicate that the game certainly takes a visual cue from its eponymous, presently unequalled counterpart. Whether the balance will shift when Ratchet & Clank is released at the end of this year is difficult to tell, but it will also face strong competition from Acclaim's Vexx, which, like R&C, plays host to a tale of interstellar oppression. Related Feature - Vexx preview