Ever played slot car racing as a kid? Good ol' days, huh? Now since Hot Wheels and Tamiya sets haven't grown old today, it's become a time-proven concept of entertainment. Apparently, Nadeo and Focus Home Interactive brought that type of racing experience to a single game, captivating audiences from around the world with TrackMania United. Read our review at the full story.

In a recent interview with GameTap, Peter Moore stated his intentions to take Electronic Arts from an "American" brand to a global one. Although EA continues to be popular within the US and without, Moore feels that it doesn't "feel local" to the European and Asian market.

Moore, President of EA, also mentioned last week how EA Sports is looking at cricket as a sport, perhaps as a hint of more things to come to make the brand more global, or depending on your point of view, local to your country. As Moore explains:

I talked a lot [...] about cricket, tennis, mixed martial arts, open-wheel racing [...] all of which can make a difference in the way people perceive us. [...] We don't have that depth and penetration into the psyche of the European sports consumer. We need to change that, and we need to change that quickly.

The goal is to let consumers outside of the US to relate more to the games they play and not just feel like a "brand that has been exported." (Well, when in Rome, people say poh-tah-toh. Or is it the other way around?) At any rate, EA's recent acquisition of Bioware and Pandemic Studios should help broaden their horizons.

Check out the Read link for the full interview.

For history buffs who own a PSP, PS2, or a PC, The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome is like manna from heaven. Developed by Slitherine Software, this title should appeal to an audience that has far too often gone unnoticed by other developers.

Gamespot was lucky enough to score an interview with the development director of the game Iain McNeil. In the interview, he discussed quite a few points that should catch the attention of those who haven't picked this game up. One of the more important details that McNeil discussed is the game's focus. He maintains that this is a "real blend of action and strategy."

Before a battle starts, you have the chance to create a battle plan, which is where the strategy comes in, and your men will carry out this plan in battle.

Some players may choose to wing it and skip this section and jump straight into the battles. Once in the battles, it's fast-paced action all the way. In the larger battles, there are thousands of men giving the game a truly epic feel, which has not been seen on consoles before.

In addition to that, this game was also built to be historically accurate considering they did secure a History Channel License for the game. McNeil gave two major reasons why they decided to obtain the license and how it benefits the game overall.

Firstly, they have thousands of hours of high-quality footage, which we were able to search through and use to create the movies you see in the game. These really add to the atmosphere when combined with the superb music and voice-over, allowing the player to become fully immersed in the period.

Secondly, having a well-known license like the History Channel brings the game to the attention of people who might otherwise have missed it. It has also allowed us to do a lot of TV advertising, which has not been possible in the past. The History Channel has been really supportive and it has been great to work with them.

So there you have it. This is a history game for the most discerning war gamers out there. If you want to read the full interview, feel free to click on our read link. The game has already been released so there's no reason not to check it out to see if it's for you. More updates on The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome as it happens.

Online site Game Politics reports that beleaguered Miami attorney Jack Thompson emailed them the other day regarding the writ the Florida Supreme Court sent to him. Before this, Thompson was already having problems with the Florida bar with the latter denying his complaints time and time again.

Anyway, it seems that the writ is really aimed to silence Thompson as it demands the lawyer to acquiesce to a suspension. Part of the document reads,

The Bar has now demanded in writing that respondent Thompson accede to a 91-day suspension from the practice of law on the basis of his alleged unethical conduct in a) claiming that three families who are his clients are in fact his clients and b) preparing expert witnesses for their depositions.

We all know how determined Thompson is prompting him to sometimes cross the line when it comes to video games, so expect him to rebound. The document continues:

This demand that Thompson receive the vocational death penalty is based upon The Bar's secret collaboration with Blank Rome lawyers who represent Take-Two, the makers of the Grand Theft Auto murder simulation game. Blank Rome's lawyers are the authors of other actual Bar complaints filed against Thompson in order to facilitate their client's marketing of adult products to children.

Game Politics tried to speak with Thompson for clarifications but it seemed that the Miami attorney bounced around the questions as he answered,

I'm not suspended from the practice of law and won't be. I have no idea what The Bar is claiming in this absurd regard. I have no complaint in that regard because there is no complaint. This is all an over-reaching contrivance by The Florida Bar.

The "three families" mentioned above is believed to be the plaintiffs of Thompson's lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive and other game industry defendants that would amount to US$ 600 million.

Valve's Steam service just got infused with some additional Sid Meier goodness. A new update to Steam reports that Civilization IV: Warlords and CivCity: Rome are now up for sale on the digital distribution service.

Here's the original announcement from Steam:

Two new products in the legendary Civilization series are now available for purchase via Steam, Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords and CivCity: Rome. Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Warlords, available for US$ 29.95, is the first expansion pack for the award-winning Civilization IV and delivers new scenarios, civilizations, leaders, and units. CivCity: Rome, available for US$ 39.95, is a city building strategy game inspired by the world of Sid Meier's Civilization.

If you're hankering for more strategy in your life, then this is the perfect thing to add to your collection. Enjoy!

Koch Media has announced that it has signed a distribution deal with Black Bean games for the upcoming strategy title The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome for the PC, PS2, and PSP. "I am delighted that Black Bean have once again chosen to work with us," commented Craig McNicol, Managing Director to Koch Media UK, "This is an excellent license and truly underpins the quality of the game."

"This game has given us the opportunity to bring a great television brand to life in the interactive entertainment arena. The blending of dramatic video footage from The History Channel with fast paced gameplay delivers a unique and authentic experience that will have mass appeal," added Chris Mehers, Managing Director of Black Bean Games UK.

Combining compelling gameplay, dramatic video footage and battle simulation, The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome allows players to fully immerse themselves into the battles and campaigns that created the world's greatest Empire. Too bad we still don't have any concrete info as to how the gameplay goes. You can check out this trailer for a bit of a look at the game, though.

We also have a few comparison shots from each of the game's three platform versions below as well as the packshots for the PSP and PC versions above. From left to right, the screenshots below are, from left to right, from the PSP, PC, and for comparison's sake, the PS2.

The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome will hit the PC, PS2, and PSP in May 2007.

OK, so history can be a bit boring sometimes. It's a good thing that companies like the History Channel are looking at other avenues of education to spread the knowledge among the younger generation. Case in point: Great Battles of Rome.

Developed by Slitherine Software and published by Black Bean, The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome lets players take control of Rome's vast armies in a series of campaigns to expand the Roman Empire. There are reportedly over 100 playable battles. There are also seven PSP-exclusive campaigns that feature the gods.

So far, there hasn't been any video that show us the gameplay details (the official website does mention that this strategy-based title can let players control up to 20 units at a time), but we do have a trailer for you guys today. Check it out below. The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome hits Europe on May 7 and is available for PC, PS2, and PSP.