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As part of a press event in San Francisco showcasing some of Aspyr Media's upcoming titles such as Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 and SimCity 4, the company officially announced that it would be publishing Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer for the Mac and PC. The game is due out in July.

Originally released on the PlayStation 2, Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer features Kelly Slater and eight other top pros as they travel to 13 of the most popular and recognizable surf spots in the world in search of the perfect wave.

Here's more info about the game:

Experience an all-out adrenaline rush as they drop down huge wave faces, pull into barreling tube rides and pull off hundreds of massive trick combinations and signature pro moves. Players choose their own path as they interact with famous surfers, sponsors, magazines and photographers. Exotic real world locations and events including full beach environments with real landmarks and hazards lend authenticity to the game. Multiple modes of play let gamers choose from Career Mode, Free Surf and multiplayer games and each mode unlocks new riders, boards, events, videos and secret breaks. Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer features ultra-realistic ocean conditions including barrels and tubes, and is the only surfing game to have populated waves, where gamers can ride alongside other surfers.

Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer is now available for pre-order through the IMG Store. IMG Pro/MacGames CD subscribers can pre-order it for just $37.95 while non-subscribers can pick it up for $39.95.

Aspyr Media

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Westlake's Glenda Adams recently posted an update regarding the Mac conversion of Sony's Everquest on the Westlake's web site. According to Glenda, beta testing on the upcoming multiplayer game is well under way:

EverQuest has entered the Public Beta phase and is in final testing before being released. Mac gamers who would like to apply to be part of the public beta can sign up at the URL listed below. Feedback on the Beta so far has been great, and we're really excited about getting this game out the door!

Sony Online

EverQuest

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Wired has recently published a piece examining a bill currently making its way through the political system of the state of Washington. In a nutshell, the bill will make it illegal for vendors to sell or rent games with violent content in them to those 17 years of age or younger. Those caught breaking the law could be slapped with fines as high as $500.

While legislation against video games is nothing new to gamers, it should be notes that the bill has already been unanimously agreed on by the state House and Senate, and Governor Gary Locke is expected to sign off on the measure later this week.

The issue touches on several points of law, including the First Amendment, which guarantees the right of free speech. The bill itself is not without opposition:

Several groups have asked Gov. Locke to veto the bill on First Amendment grounds. The Washington chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Media Coalition (which represents publishers, bookstores, librarians and magazine distributors, as well as recording, movie and video-game manufacturers and retailers) and the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association argue the legislation represents an attack on freedom of speech.

Wired - Video-Game Merchants Under Fire

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BioWare has launched an official website for Shadows of Undrentide, the upcoming expansion for their popular role-playing game Neverwinter Nights. The site contains a lot of information about the new features the expansion will bring to Neverwinter Nights.

From the Shadows of Undrentide website:

Delve further into the Forgotten Realms with Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide! Begin your adventure in the small mountain town of Hilltop as a student under the tutelage of a mage named Drogan, and then traverse the deadly Anauroch Desert to reach the ancient ruins of Netheril. Uncover a fiendish plot as you battle a multitude of new enemies through over 20 hours of original new gameplay. Play as any of the classes in the original Neverwinter Nights, or try out one of the five new Prestige Classes, which you can now customize even further with over 50 new spells and more than 30 new feats!

BioWare

MacSoft

Neverwinter Nights

Shadows of Undrentide

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Macintosh porting house Westlake Interactive has updated their project status page once again. This time two of their current project has reached a new milestone in development. The eagerly awaited Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game EverQuest has reached Public Beta, and the still code-named project Zoot Suit has reached Final Candidate.

Everquest Lead Programmer and Westlake President Glenda Adams says this in a news update on Westlake's site:

EverQuest has entered the Public Beta phase and is in final testing before being released. Mac gamers who would like to apply to be part of the public beta can sign up at the URL listed below. Feedback on the Beta so far has been great, and we're really excited about getting this game out the door!

[Update] Westlake has updated their project status page to indicate that Star Trek Elite Force II is first playable.

Sony Online

EverQuest

Westlake Interactive

Westlake Project Status Page

Westlake News: EverQuest in Public Beta!

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GameSpot, the popular PC and console gaming network, posted an interview with id Software's Tim Willits addressing several questions about the upcoming Doom III, one of the most eagerly awaited titles in the history of first-person shooters.

Ten years after the release of the original title, id Software is about to expand their flagship series with the coming release of Doom III, a game expected to change the face of computer gaming as much as the original title did in the early '90s. Here's what Tim Willits has to say on this subject:

GameSpot: There's so much anticipation for Doom III at this point that it seems larger than life. Will the final game be as revolutionary as many expect it to be?

Tim Willits: Doom III will truly change what people expect from a video game experience. Every piece of technology, from the rendering system to the six-channel surround sound and the realistic physics, is coupled with incredible art and design to create a world that is hyperrealistic and more interactive than ever. Players will be drawn into the mood and atmosphere of the game to the point where they feel like they are part of the world--not just a character running through a noninteractive set piece.

Doom III has been guaranteed for OS X by John Carmack, co-founder of id Software, and is expected to be released by the end of the year.

id Software

DOOM III Questions and Answers at GameSpot

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