December 23, 2005: January's edition of the Official Playstation Magazine stateside purports to reveal that Epic Games have announced Unreal Tournament 2007 for the Playstation 3 console, stating that the new multiplayer-focussed FPS will be out in the spring. If the magazine are right, UT2007 will be out to coincide with the new machine's debut, that's of course assuming that Sony does release the PS3 in the spring, having so far only promised Japan this date tentatively.

Indeed, official word on a release in any region remains scant. Experts, for their inevitable part, are affirming that a release in late 2006 seems far more likely, given Sony's silent stance. Microsoft would no doubt welcome a delay, especially as they struggle to entice Japanese gamers to their newly launched Xbox 360.

Epic Games have in the past demonstrated technical demos on the PS3 console, and also waxed lyrical on the strengths of the hardware, making them an unsurprising supporter of the system if this UT2007 news proves true. The increasingly important Unreal Engine 3.0, being used by Epic and innumerable third-party developers, does of course support both the PS3 and the Xbox 360, so releases on both platforms remain possible perhaps even likely. Epic will launch Gears of War on the 360 next year. More soon.

ferrago.com