The trade site say that "all staff at the firm's London offices were sent home this week", and that Empire "is in the process of making all employees redundant".

Sources speaking with Gamasutra, on the other hand, claim that things aren't quite that bad, and that only some employees will be let go, not all of them.

Either way, employees will be let go, and things aren't looking too good.

Empire collapses [MCV]

Empire Interactive has signed a multi-year deal with the intelligence-fostering American Mensa organization to develop handheld, PC, and console titles based on the Mensa license. Judging by the Mensa organizations stated goals, the deal will most likely result in a handful of brain training and puzzle titles somewhere down the line.

"American Mensa is very selective about the companies we partner with, so we are especially pleased to have this new relationship with Empire Interactive," said Dr. John Sheehan, Development Officer of American Mensa. "One of Mensa's primary goals is to foster intelligence, and we are confident that with Empire's unquestioned reputation for excellence, we will move closer to achieving that goal."

A similar deal has also been made with British Mensa, which is essentially the evil version of Mensa that American Mensa members will eventually have to team up against in order to ensure the safety of the planet.

What do you get if you cross Destroy All Humans with Duck Hunt?

Look, never mind "I don't know" - I'm not trying to tell you a joke. This is a serious rhetorical question. The answer is that you get Martian Panic. Look at the pictures, it's obvious.

Martian Panic is a Wii shooter for up to four players. Martians are invading. There is Panic. It's simple. Shoot the green swine in the face with your WiiMote or optional gun-shaped WiiMote cosy. No friends? No problem! Just grab a second WiiMote and get all John Woo on their scaly martian asses in Dual Wield mode.

This is exactly the sort of development cycle I want to see more of. Tell us about the game one month, release it two months later. Makes me long for the good old days before I had the internet and those pesky video game bloggers didn't tell us about games years before they were coming out. Jerks.

The game combines action gameplay with 3D investigation and some sort of crime quiz to help you unravel the mystery of a model's disappearance in 1970's New York. The game features more that 8 different crimes to solve in this rather unique setting, back in the days when CSI did all the work while The Who played in the background. I suppose The Who could still factor in, but don't expect that DNA evidence you sent to the lab to be back for another couple of decades.

Crime Investigation Makes Its Way To Nintendo DS™ In Empire Interactive’s Unsolved Crimes

It’s up to Players to Solve a Mysterious Disappearance in 1970s New York

AUSTIN, Texas - July 28, 2008

Empire Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of Silverstar Holdings (NASDAQ: SSTR), today announced that the mystery solving game, Unsolved Crimes, will surface in the U.S. on Nintendo DS™ this fall. The absorbing and character-driven adventure experience will integrate players in the thrills of an action game with the mental challenges of a 3D crime investigation.

In Unsolved Crimes, players will take the role of a rookie detective as part of the New York police department homicide division. An aspiring model, Betsy Blake, has disappeared and a social outcast and loner is the prime suspect. The case is a lot deeper than it appears on the surface. Crime is rampant in the city and Blake’s disappearance is the latest in a frightening series of events that are slowly bringing New York to its knees. The local police department is having a hard time cracking the case and Blake’s safe return lies in the detectives’ hands to solve the mystery before it’s too late.

Unsolved Crimes integrates three gaming elements - an action game, a 3D crime investigation and a crime quiz - to provide players with a unique, absorbing experience. The game fully utilizes the DS’ unique Dual Screen, allowing players to immerse themselves in the New York environments. The innovative use of the stylus will allow players to trace marks, routes and memos on suspicious items discovered at crime scenes, all allowing players to move closer to solving the kidnapping mystery. The engaging storyline runs throughout the game, fully immersing players in the world of Unsolved Crimes with more than eight independent cases to solve in the diverse and fully interactive environments.

Empire Interactive Brings The Classic Graphic Adventure, Myst, The The Nintendo DS

Immersive Experience Will Draw Adventure-seekers of All Ages into a Surreal Dimension of Alternative Reality

AUSTIN, Texas - January 16, 2008 - Empire Interactive today announced that MYST, the popular adventure-based video game, will immerse North American fans in a new experience created specially for the Nintendo DS. Adventure-seekers will be captivated by the mesmerizing worlds and environments that have been enhanced and recreated with an original soundtrack, re-mastered video and an all-new age - the Rime Age - that was never included in the original MYST. Taking full advantage of the system's technology, the game uses the stylus as the key method of interaction and the dual screen as a vehicle to provide additional information for a greater challenge. MYST for the Nintendo DS is scheduled to ship in North America in March 2008.

The new interface for MYST enhances the gameplay in all-new ways. The upper screen of the system provides information and allows players to view magnified images, while the bottom screen is used to access mini-tools and navigate throughout the realistic worlds of MYST. Additionally, to aid in their expedition to uncover clues and solve the mysteries of MYST, players have a new arsenal of mini-tools at their disposal, including a magnifying glass, camera, notebook, and map. Now, players can closely inspect and interact with clues and items, take snapshots for future use, keep notes in a diary, and pinpoint key locations within the game.

"As one of the strongest video game franchises in history, with more than 12 million games sold, we felt it was only natural to partner with Hoplite Research and Cyan Worlds to bring MYST to an innovative system like the DS," said Karim Farghaly, vice president of sales, Empire Interactive. "The DS addition to the MYST game library allows players to take advantage of the new features created exclusively for the DS, while still maintaining the integrity of this classic game, creating a refreshed, on-the-go adventure experience for players of all ages."

"It was important for us to work with a partner that understood family adventure titles to support the North American launch of MYST for the Nintendo DS," said Manny Granillo, president, Hoplite Research, LLC.

Under obscure circumstances, a mysterious person known as the Stranger (the player) finds a bizarre book titled MYST. Upon opening the book, the Stranger discovers the first page is occupied by a single moving image - the Linking Panel - showing a glimpse of an island. By touching the Linking Panel, the player is transported to the island to explore the breathtaking environments.

MYST is an engaging experience that draws adventure-seekers into beautiful yet eerie worlds with unique settings in varied times and places. While venturing through the six worlds of MYST, players help individuals trapped in parallel dimensions - without ever actually encountering living beings - by solving a multitude of puzzles, mazes and problems. Close observation and precise logic will help players unlock the secrets of MYST. The non-linear gameplay of MYST is designed unlike any other adventure game, with no instructions, inventory, death or dialogue. MYST is about the experience encountered throughout the breathtaking worlds and environments.