Rob Fahey (Page 123)

Leading publisher Electronic Arts has committed to supporting the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS platforms, but the recently rumoured move to develop Xbox Live titles is still under negotiation, according to senior company execs.

This week on GamesIndustry.biz, Bungie founder Alex Seropian discusses his new studio, Wideload Games, and talks about why it's time for game development to evolve to the next stage.

Leading publisher Electronic Arts has reported record revenues for the full year ended March 31st, with $2.957 billion recorded in global turnover - while sales in Europe passed the $1 billion mark for the first time.

French publisher Ubisoft has announced its results for the full year to March 31st, revealing a 22 per cent rise in sales which is largely credited to the success of the Tom Clancy licensed range of titles.

The latest financial report from Sony has revealed shipment projections for the PlayStation Portable launch period, with the company planning to have three million consoles on the market by March 2005.

Embattled publisher Interplay's financial difficulties continue to deepen, as the filing of its annual report reveals that it has failed to meet payroll, rent and tax commitments, and may lose the rights to the Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance franchise.

Further details of Sony's financial results for the year ended March 31st show that the company's games division suffered an 18.3 per cent drop in revenue during the year, although software sales increased substantially.

Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone has confirmed that he intends to buy a controlling stake in publisher Midway Games, after the firm reported first quarter results which were better than expectations, but still down on last year's.

Publisher THQ has signed a deal which will see the it acquiring Vancouver based development studio Relic Entertainment, which is currently working on Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War for the company.

British publisher Eidos has reportedly demanded that the buyer behind the acquisition of a 5.1 per cent stake in the company last week be named, as rumours about a possible takeover of the company gathered pace in the city.

Kathy Schoback and Wallace Poulter join the ranks of the Phantom

A diagram purporting to be a leaked Microsoft document describing the specification of the Xbox 2 has surfaced on a Chinese bulletin board - but sources close to the console's development say that it is probably a fake.

Leading videogame retailer GAME Group has announced its financial results for the full year to January 31st, with the company once again outperforming the market and achieving improvements in both turnover and profits.

British publisher Codemasters has achieved its first number one placing in the domestic charts in almost two years with TOCA Race Driver 2 - but the software market as a whole remains at a very low ebb.

Key market analysts and commentators are voicing their approval of Nintendo's handheld platform strategy, according to a report this week which suggests that concerns over the PSP's entry to the market may have been overblown.

Internal schedules at Microsoft as recently as last November called for the Xbox 2 to be launched in time for Christmas 2004, sources close to the company have revealed - and the firm is still thought to be considering a launch by mid-2005.

Halo designer and Bungie co-founder Alexander Seropian has formed a new development studio, Wideload Games, which has started work on a new PC/Xbox title based on the Halo engine technology.