LAS VEGAS--For a while, it appeared that Epic Games had appeased both Sony and Microsoft with console exclusives. One year after it had teased audiences with some unidentified footage at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, the developer announced it was bringing Unreal Tournament 2007 to the PlayStation 3 as well as the PC. Given the legendary stature of the Unreal series, that news appeared to trump Epic's deal with Microsoft to bring an all-new game, Gears of War, exclusively to the Xbox 360.
Now, it appears Epic has had a change of heart. Thursday night at the 2007 Midway Gamers' Day at the Hard Rock Casino, Epic vice president Mark Rein swaggered onto the stage to announce two things. First, that Unreal Tournament 2007 will henceforth be known as Unreal Tournament III. "The new name is to reflect the fact that this game is the next generation of the Unreal series, based on the Unreal Engine 3," said Rein, brimming with confidence.
Then Rein dropped a bombshell, announcing that Unreal Tournament III will also arrive on the Xbox 360 when it hits stores later this year. "The 360 is a platform that we've had a little bit of success on," joked Rein, referencing Gears' record-setting sales. As of last week, Gears of War had sold 3 million units worldwide, making it the fastest-selling Xbox 360 game of all time.
