IGN is reporting that:

"Wideload Games, founded by original Bungie head Alex Seropian, has inked a publishing deal with Aspyr Media, the leading Mac publisher. Aspyr may not be a name you're familiar with, but the veteran company owns 60% of the Mac market and has published five music CDs, and three independent films on DVD. Wideload's new game, set to ship on PC, Mac, and Xbox in fall 2005, will mark Aspyr's first foray on the Xbox. Despite venturing into uncharted territory, Alex Seropian has enormous confidence in his new publisher, noting, "Aspyr has experience in a lot of different areas, besides just games. They have a music publishing business, which is gonna have a cool affect on what we're doing."

Though Wideload had numerous publishing options, the small company, which employs only a dozen people, found confidence in Aspyr. "[There's a] whole bunch of things I really like about those guys. I think the biggest thing for me is that they proved to me that they were really going to focus on me." Seropian said, "It's hard to put all your attention and effort into one particular thing if some kind of strategy suddenly changes. Aspyr is a constant. People are going to pay a lot of attention to me. I didn't feel I'd ever get randomized."

Little is known about Wideload's first game. However, we do know it will utilize the Halo engine and promises to be a unique experience. As Seropian testifies, "It's a very different game. There are some things about the Halo engine that are really cool. We use a lot of the same systems and developed them in the same way. There's a certain quality to the way things are presented that you may recognize. But it's a very different game. You won't be playing it going, 'Dude, it's just like Halo!'" Other details on the game remain undisclosed for the time being."

Rumors are circulating strongly about a September price drop for the ultra popular Gameboy Advance SP handheld system. The new rumored MSRP is $79.99, a $20 difference from the current price.

While still unconfirmed, the drop in price for the SP would help balance out sales relative to the anticipated arrival of Nintendo's DS system, for which the price point is still to be announced.

We'll have more information as soon as it is available.

GameSpot is reporting that:

"In its Electronic Entertainment Industry Update released today, TNI Securities reports that the recently revealed headset port on the Nintendo DS will be used in conjunction with the built-in wireless 802.11b networking capabilities to offer voice-over-IP chat--in effect, allowing gamers to use the DS to make free phone calls at wireless network hotspots.

The report, which is intended for investors in the electronic games industry, goes on to express TNI's opinion that this will "help drive adoption among the increasingly connected younger gaming audience."

Analyst Boris Markovich in his weekly memo said "the headset will allow gamers to use the DS as a phone handset enabling free phone calls over wireless network hotspots. We think that this will be a very compelling application of the handset...""

GameSpot is reporting that:

"Paramount Pictures announced today that it has optioned the movie rights to Midway Games' arcade action thriller Area 51. A home version of the game, leveraging the voice-acting skills of David Duchovny, Powers Boothe, and Marilyn Manson, is set to be released next March on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but the movie will not necessarily draw on the game's talent, says Paramount."