X05: Activision announces Wolfenstein for 360 and PC

Activision and id Software have confirmed that the next-generation Wolfenstein game for Xbox 360 which was announced at X05 in Amsterdam earlier this week is also on its way to the PC platform.

The latest instalment in the hit franchise is currently in development by Raven Software (also responsible for id's Quake 4) with id staff assisting as executive producers on the new title.

Activision also confirmed that it has secured the worldwide distribution rights for Wolfenstein on both platforms. The creation of a next-generation version in the series has long been rumoured, after the critical acclaim and commercial success of Return to Castle Wolfenstein on PC and Xbox.

According to id's legendary engine developer John Carmack, this will represent the first time that an id Software project has led out on a console platform rather than on the PC - with the developer praising the tools available for Xbox 360 as being better than the equivalents on PC.

The latest chapter places the player deep behind enemy lines in war torn Germany, where Nazi experiments with technology and the supernatural threaten to turn the tide of World War II. To date, no further details regarding the gameplay or additional features of the title have been released, although id has alluded to a new graphical technique specifically created for next generation hardware.

Id Software is responsible for the creation of numerous commercially successful titles, including the original Doom franchise, which revolutionised the first person shooter genre upon its initial release. The company's game engine technology has been licensed and utilised by a number of developers for third party software.