Pre-E3: Battlezone Re-imagined, Charlotte's Web, Codemasters Finds Bliss

E3 signals the season of game announcements, and today continues that trend with new titles confirmed by Atari, Sega, and Codemasters. Atari announced the development a modern update to the 1980 classic arcade game BattleZone for the PSP, Sega confirmed that it will show off the video game adaptation of Nickelodeon Movies' upcoming film Charlotte's Web (which is itself an adaptation of a children's book by E.B. White) at E3, and Codemasters announced that it has signed Bliss Island, a new action puzzler for the PC and PSP. - In development by Paradigm Entertainment and scheduled for release in November, BattleZone for the PSP will build upon the original game's quick, action-oriented battles with eight different customizable vehicles, and WiFi multiplayer support for up to four players. In addition, Atari has confirmed that extra game content including a tool to build and customize levels will be released through the as yet unlaunched BattleZone web site. "The BattleZone arcade game broke the mold for vehicle action combat in 1980, and today's version will reinvent this classic property into a modern day must-have," said Stephen Baer, Senior Product Manager, Atari, Inc. "BattleZone for the PSP system offers the fast-paced action and addictive gameplay that meets the demands of today's on-the-go generation." - Sega today announced that Backbone Entertainment, a division of Foundation 9 Entertainment, is developing the video game adaptation of the upcoming feature film Charlotte's Web. The game will be shown at E3 next week, and will ship this fall for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and PC. A version for mobile phones is also in development. All versions will play host to numerous mini-games, while the DS version will include an extra unlockable mini-game not found in the other versions, as well as offer wireless multiplayer for up to four players. - Finally, Codemasters today confirmed that it has signed Pompom Software's casual puzzle game Bliss Island for release over the web, on the PC, and on the PSP. from the developer of Mutant Storm: Reloaded. To introduce the title, the company has released three sample stages appear as a free-to-play web game on Funsta.com, Codemasters' casual gaming portal. Later in May, Bliss Island will be available as a graphically enhanced ‘try-before-you-buy’ downloadable PC casual game, featuring more than 90 game stages from five seperate game modes. The game will then be launched for the PSP later this year. “Signing Bliss Island is a key development in Codemasters’ activities in the casual gaming space,” commented Nick Pili, Codemasters’ Director of Casual Gaming. “By bringing outstanding original product into the mix it strengthens Funsta.com’s attraction as an online destination for casual players. Extending the title and making it available as a casual try-before-you-buy downloadable PC game, then as a full title for the PSP system, gives the game an organic expansion as the audience for the game grows.”