Star Wars Episode III - first details!

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Plus! Activision 2005 schedule revealed: True Crime 2, Quake IV, Ultimate Spider-Man and more...

Activision have announced their line-up of games for 2005 - and they've revealed a slew of new titles in the process.

The biggest news is that the game based on Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith will be released on 5 May and, according to LucasArts president Jim Ward, will be "the WWE of Star Wars games". Like the Episode III movie, the PS2 and Xbox game focuses on the climactic fight between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker and, according to Ward, will include "the most exciting lightsaber duels ever seen in a videogame".

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The third-person action-adventure will also give players the chance to make use of a range of abilities: as Anakin, players will unleash the power of the dark side in ruthless lightsaber and Force attacks while, as Obi-Wan, players will struggle to save the galaxy from darkness by focusing the power of the light side into swift and precise lightsaber attacks and using the Force to control enemy actions. A preview of the game will be available as part of the Star Wars Trilogy DVD that's being released in September.

Further Star Wars games are also being planned although they won't be based on any of the movies (it seems as if Episodes VII-IX now won't be happening). Instead, the basis for them will be the new Star Wars live action and animated TV series that have just been announced. In addition, LucasArts are also planning a new Indiana Jones game based on the fourth movie in the series, although this isn't likely to be released until 2006.

Meanwhile, , a sequel to last year's driving/fighting hybrid True Crime is in the works, while Activision have also confirmed that Call of Duty 2 will be released next year. Perhaps more interesting though is the announcement that Quake IV is finally set to see the light of day in 2005, after its development was first announced way back at 2001's QuakeCon.

A new Tony Hawk title - the seventh in total - is also in the works, although it's not clear whether it will continue the Tony Hawk's Underground strand or mark the start of another new Tony Hawk franchise. Activision also confirmed that Tony Hawk developers Neversoft are working on a new non-sports game, although didn't release any details of it whatsoever.

On the Marvel side of things are Ultimate Spider-Man, Iron Man and Fantastic Four, while Madagascar is the game of the new Dreamworks movie (which is due to be released in the UK next July) that follows the story of a gaggle of animals who escape from a zoo. Finally, Activision have revealed that they are working on games for Nintendo DS although they have yet to confirm any specific titles.

The company's 2005 line-up across all formats currently includes:

  • True Crime 2
  • Quake IV
  • Call of Duty 2
  • Next Tony Hawk
  • Ultimate Spider-Man
  • Madagascar
  • Iron Man
  • Fantastic Four
  • Shrek
  • The Movies
  • New Neversoft game
  • Mercenaries
  • Dead Rush
  • Star Wars: Republic Commando
  • Star Wars: Episode III