Vivendi reveals confirms pre-Xmas release schedule for Europe
VUG reveals nine new titles for its concerted assault on the pre-Christmas High Street spend, with new Crash and Spyro titles, but still no confirmed date for Half-Life 2 or Starcraft: Ghost
Vivendi-Universal Games confirmed its pre-Christmas line-up this morning, with as many as 15 games scheduled to slug it out for the all-important pre-Christmas spend.
In the three month run up to Christmas VUG plans to release Traveller's Tales' comical take on sure-fire platforming blockbuster Crash Bandicoot Unlimited (PS2, Xbox), as well as 2015's controversial chest beating Vietnam FPS Men Of Valor (Xbox, PC), complete with all the swearing that EA would never allow them to get away with.
If that wasn't enough, Elixir's Dungeon Keeper-inspired Evil Genius (PC) is scheduled, as is Tribes Vengeance (PC), Red Ninja (PS2, Xbox) and the long-awaited return of professional breast man Leisure Suit Larry, with his Magna Cum Laude adventures (PS2, Xbox, PC) involving all manner of chauvinism for sexually frustrated types.
Moving onto the dark, dank build up to long nights and 3.30 darkness we're treated to Predator: Concrete Jungle (PS2, Xbox), along with Spyro: A Hero's Tail (PS2, Xbox, and - yes - Cube).
VU also hopes to have Blizzard's interminably delayed Starcraft: Ghost (PS2, Xbox, Cube), Cold Winter (PS2), and the promising adventure title Farenheit (PS2, PC) ready before Christmas.
'What about Half-Life 2?' I hear you cry. Not even VUG dares to predict when this will be out, although last month Valve was still confidently stating a 'summer' release. World Of Warcraft is also balanced precariously on a 'TBC' date, as is The Fast And The Furious.
In terms of its forthcoming summer catalogue, expect Ground Control 2 (PC) to hit the streets on June 25th, and The Chronicles Of Riddick (Xbox) to emerge from the darkness on August 13th - if you haven't already picked it up on US import by then...