Premier Manager 2004-2005

Premier Manager 2004-2005, the sequel to the highly successful managing simulator for PC and console, is coming out this month. The game will introduce new facilities, staff, manager, and staff for each club to work with and refine.

While it is exclusive to the Xbox, the Xbox, and PC versions will be more closely aligned. Two main gameplay modes will be the single-player game and the career mode.

According to Sega, the PC version of the game will have a number of changes, including better AI and graphics. In addition to the five new players, Sega is releasing new storylines that will be developed as the game progresses.

Sports Interactive has also hired a major staff member from the PS2 version of Football Manager 2005, Nicolas Johansson. Johansson will be promoted to the top staff of any player within the game, but at the moment he is a service manager.

The game will also feature a refined database that will allow players to view, compare, and sort results of the players' performances.

Sony will provide "people who've bought the PlayStation 2 game in the past, for example, to share the rosters of some of the players in our game." As a result, Sony will integrate third-party sports from the console edition of the game into the PC version.

Other improvements include the inclusion of the system menu, which will be automatically populated, and allow players to set up different games to set "higher profile goals."

Football Manager 2005 for the PC is scheduled for release in spring.

ESPN Interactive announced that its arcade version of MLS Football was in development at Visual Concepts, the developer behind last year's US basketball game, ESPN NBA 2K5.

As a result of the deal, Visual Concepts will be able to support the Sega Sports Football Club, the development company's football management game for the PC.

So while ESPN MLS Football was developed for the PC, the upcoming PC version will be based on the console versions.

GameSpot News contacted Visual Concepts about the PC version of MLS Football and was told that the company is not currently developing it for the Dreamcast. "We're working closely with the Xbox, so we can't comment on any other platforms at this time," said the company spokesperson.

GameSpot News contacted Sega of America for comment on the PC version of MLS Football and the Dreamcast version of the game. However, given the uncertainty surrounding the release of the Dreamcast version of the game, we will not comment at this time.

While ESPN MLS Football is the Dreamcast version of the game, it is not being developed for the PC platform. According to Sega, ESPN MLS Football is a different style of football game than a football game. "The Dreamcast version will use a different and more realistic approach than the current PC game," said the spokesperson.

GameSpot will bring you new information on MLS Football and the Dreamcast version of the game, as well as media reports on this and other Dreamcast games in the future.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus.

Rumor #3: Playable N64 games will be limited to the Dreamcast.

Source: Polygon.

The official story: As of press time, neither Sega or any third-party publisher had comment.

What we heard: This week, rumors swirl that the Nintendo 64 is being discontinued. This week, Aussie-based developer Jesters Interactive showed off a short demo of its new title, which had gamers running their own snowboarding high-speed snowboarder down the mountain.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus. If the company sticks with the 64's lifespan, a full-fledged PC game is just about here to keep its dwindling hardware footprint.

Rumor #4: Electronic Arts will release a new hockey game in the NHL 2K series.

Source: The British Columbia Herald.

The official story: See below.

What we heard: Last week, EA Sports president Peter Moore took to the stage to kick off the N2K Sports Web site with a statement that hinted at what gamers could expect from the NHL series. When it finally was announced that the Canadian developer would be responsible for creating the hockey game, Moore said the NHL 2K series would feature improved gameplay, all the hallmarks of the series, and "unparalleled graphics." EA also revealed that the next NHL game would have some hockey-based modifications.

Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus. It won't be coming to the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. We'll bring you more details as soon as they become available.

RUMOR #4: The full-blown next-generation version of the Madden NFL series is on the way for the Xbox 360.

Source: A Canadian basketball fan on the Staunton Gallery Web site.

The official story: "I got the game early last week and it was not final, but the game is in a state of alpha."--A Microsoft representative.