Heads up, armchair aces. 505 Games and 1C Company have announced that the first DLC pack for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey is now live. Hit the jump for the details.

One of Russia's most distinguished game developer and publisher, 1C company, has announced two new game projects that will be their first on the next generation consoles. The two games are based on Captain Blood novels and the successful IL-2 Sturmovik flight combat simulation series.  Both are now heading to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (to North America with help), but even handhelds will feel some love as well.

Developer and publisher Atari today announced its planned long-term relationship with 1C Company. The latter is one of the leading publisher and distributor of computer games in Russia, Eastern and Central Europe. This partnership gives Atari exclusive first rights to distribute as well as co-publish upcoming 1C titles throughout North America including online distribution.

The deal involves every single console (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii), handheld consoles (DS, PlayStation Portable), Games for Windows platform, online formats, and even mobiles. The first ever video game that will be brought to the U.S. because of this deal is expected some time this year.

Robert Stevenson, VP Business Development and Third Party at Atari, explained that this move will prove to be beneficial to their company because the Russian and Eastern European markets are teeming with innovative and engaging video game titles. Stevenson added:

1C has demonstrated the special ability to source, develop and nurture these products. Leveraging our strength in software distribution and our relationship with 1C, we believe that we will offer our retail partners a wider-array of products that appeal to the broad tastes of gamers in North America.

Some of IC Company's upcoming and current projects include Theater of War, Sniper, Pacific Fighters, IL-2 Sturmovik, IL-2 Sturmovik: The Forgotten Battles, and Konung.

 

For an event that reportedly shrank down in order to give even the smaller voices some chance in the spotlight, the new E3's "complete" list of publishers and developers is a bit disappointing to say the least. Only 32 companies (far from last year's 400) are listed in the announcement made available to the press.

The companies are: 1C Company, Activision, Akella, Atari, Atlus, Disney Interactive Studios, Capcom, Codemasters, Crave Entertainment, Eidos, Electronic Arts, Konami, LucasArts, Majesco, Microsoft, Midway, Namco Bandai Games, NCsoft, Nintendo, Sega, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony Online Entertainment, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive, THQ, Ubisoft, Vivendi Games, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

The reformatted E3 will consist of an exhibit hall in Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, and company-run demos in nearby hotels. Third-party press conferences will be held in a common location while platform holders will have their own bashes. The big three, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, are yet to make any announcements regarding the event.

Invitations are expected to number between 3,000 and 4,000 a fraction compared to last year's 60,000.

The new E3 is set to take place on July 11 to 13.

Find yourself a little confused with all the names cropping up for this month's Game Developers Conference (GDC)? It shouldn't be too surprising - aside from being a major demonstrations and announcements area  for established heavyweights like Sony and Nintendo, the conference is also a potential starting point for young aspiring developers and publishers by way of its Game Connections event. This event will provide these young publishers and developers with a chance to meet and (possibly) sign contracts for what could  become the next generation of hot titles.

Now, given the large number of companies setting up shop at the event grounds, we thought everybody could benefit from this complete list of exhibitors. Game Connection@GDC is set for March 5 to 6, with Game Connection Services following up on March 8 to 9. Both events will be taking place in the Moscone Theater's South Hall at San Francisco.

Here are some of the GDC 2007 attendees:

• 1C Company
• Game Refuge Inc
• Pinata
• Akella Games
• GI Play Technologies
• Anyfun games
• Gamesauce
• Play Ten Interactive
• Artificial Mind & Movement
• GSC Game World

The full list revealed at full article.

1C Company, makers of IL-2 Sturmovik series and Pacific Fighters, have reportedly moved the release dates of 11 titles to Q1 next year. One title's release was narrowed down to Q1 while the other titles to be released on the same period were mostly delayed games that previously sported 2006 release dates. Nearly all of the games are for the PC, except for Captain Blood which is slated for the 360.

Here's the list from BluesNews.com:

• Adrenalin 2: Rush Hour - a sequel to the race reality show mixed with RPG elements
• A.I.M. 2: Clan Wars - sci-fi first person action RPG by SkyRiver Studios
• Ascension to the Throne - a turn based strategy game
• Captain Blood - a title for the Xbox360, a game adaptation of the novel by Rafael Sabatini
• PT Boats: Knights of the Sea - a naval simulator set on WWII
• Swashbucklers: Blue vs. Grey - a naval Action RPG game set during the American Civil War
• Theatre of War - a WWII real time strategy game
• The Tomorrow War - a space simulator based on novels by Russian author, Alexander Zorich
• Whirlwind of Vietnam: UH-1 - a helicopter simulator
• XIII Century - a real-time strategy game set in the Medieval period
• Mythic Wars - a fantasy turn-based strategy game

1C Company was founded in 1991 and is a leading player as a publisher and distributor of computer games in Eastern and Central Europe.