A few weeks ago we divulged some juicy details on Jowood's Gothic 4: Arcania. If that made you hungry for more, well, this update of ours might be able to help you out. We've got the latest batch of screenshots on this upcoming RPG game. Catch the screens after the jump!

Want more information on JoWood's upcoming title, Gothic 4? Well, you guys will be getting that and even more. We were able to catch the first details that were revealed by the German PC Games magazine for this RPG game. Find out the details after the jump!

The Gothic franchise has been receiving mixed feedback from the players and the haters ever since the first installment came out. From extreme ends of the spectrum, actually: some really loved it, some really abhorred it. It's now running on its third title (Gothic 3 for the PC) in the series, so we're guessing JoWood must be doing something right.

To continue the success of the series though, they've just announced that they're going to publish Gothic 4... with a bit of a caveat. Turns out that the German company - Piranha Bites, A.K.A. Pluto 13 - who developed the previous three titles in the series will be stripped off its developing rights. JoWood is now looking for a new developer for the next installment.

We're not sure how or why they decided to end ties with Piranha Bites, and we're not sure if that will lead to a good or bad thing. HOWEVER. Here's one good thing we do know: Gothic 4 will be published for the PC, and, for the first time ever in the franchise, next-gen consoles. What consoles exactly? No further details were given but we're placing our bets on Xbox 360 and PS3, but it's fair game for everyone, regardless.

More Gothic 4 updates in the future as they come along.

Known for releasing PC titles, it's a bit surprising that publisher DreamCatcher Interactive (DreamCatcher Games) has announced that it will now be shifting focus to next-generation consoles. DreamCatcher and JoWooD announce that they are already starting to negotiate with development studios and are planning to schedule releases for the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009.

Sadly, GWN reports that this effectively ends "legacy projects" on the previous generation consoles that were scheduled last year.

Others have begun to speculate that other PC game companies might start considering moving to consoles. Our take on this is that it's too early to say that this is indicative of an impending trend. More multi-platform, PC, and console titles in the future? Sure, why not. The impending death of PC gaming? Far from likely.

JoWood was known for Gothic, PainKiller, SpellForce, and Dungeon Lords.