Gaming News Round-Up: March 21st, 2005

Today's round-up includes news of Chronicles Of Riddick developer Starbreeze's next project, as well as the happy winner of Maryland's second annual SID award. - The Darkness -- the Top Cow comic-book character, rather than the band of the same name-- has been licensed for next-generation consoles by Majesco. Starbreeze, the development studio behind 2004's Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, has been tapped to create the game, which follows the adventures of hitman Jackie Estacado after he's imbued with the matter-generating powers of the Darkness. The game, which will use Starbreeze's in-house engine, will feature both first-person and third-person game when it's released in 2006. A live-action film based on the same property is planned for release in 2007. - Christopher Clark, technical director at Breakaway Games, has been selected by the Community College of Baltimore County and the University of Baltimore to receive the second annual Simulation and Interactive Design award, also called the SID. Inaugurated in 2004, the award is given to a Maryland individual or firm whose accomplishments in the design of games, simulations, and other forms of interactive software set a standard of excellence, and the first recipient and namesake of the award was the legendary game designer Sid Meier of Firaxis Games, Inc. "We are extremely proud of the outstanding recognition Chris has received," said Doug Whatley, CEO of BreakAway.