Atari has officially announced that they will be publishing the next installment in the Deer Hunter series, and that new hunter simulator would be Deer Hunter Tournament. Like it's previous installments, Deer Hunter Tournament will see the return of advanced animal AI and actual weapon mechanics and physics, but this time it's not only for Windows - it's also coming to the Xbox 360.

For the new generation of hardware, Atari will be using the extra horsepower to model all forms of animal AI, and not just those of the old predators and prey that will reappear. The company promises that many "wildlife moments" can be had while scouting and waiting for your choice of prey, with everything from hawks swooping down to snatch fish, to deer whisking away from a stalking mountain lion. Not exactly like Far Cry 2's needs-driven AI, but close.

This is all integrated into the hunting process, which will have new and experienced hunters observing animal mannerisms and their reactions to certain stimuli. New equipment and strategies will aid this process as well, giving hunters the camouflage or cover they need to track, target, and down their prey. The folk who're new to Deer Hunter will be able to take a crash course in hunting via the game's numerous tutorial tracks.

We're not sure how far Atari is willing to push for the animal AI, as taking down the most prized of prey is more than a chore in itself. Still we're hoping that Deer Hunter Tournament won't detract in that department and will also include the old additions to satisfy Deer Hunter veterans' whims. While it hasn't been noted down in the official press release, we're looking forward to weapon and hunter customizations as well.

We'll see if those features will make a comeback when Deer Hunter Tournament releases this fall on Windows and Xbox 360. Console hunters will find their graphically improved copy waiting with a US$ 39.99 price tag, while the equally appealing PC version will come 20 dollars cheaper.