The game will be released for PC, PS3 & Xbox 360 and be developed by Epic's People Can Fly studio, based in Poland. For those of you wondering, People Can Fly were the folks behind Painkiller.

“Epic is excited to work with EA Partners to launch our next big IP on the global stage,” said Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games. “EA Partners gives independent developers like Epic the muscle of a global publisher like EA, along with the focus and flexibility of a smaller team committed to working with our individual needs.”

Full details after the jump

EA SIGNS PUBLISHING DEAL WITH EPIC GAMES

EA Partners Team up with the Creators of the award-winning Gears of War and Unreal series

to Publish an All-New IP

Redwood City, Calif. – August 14, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Epic Games, Inc. today announced that they have signed a publishing agreement for an all-new action title for the PC, Xbox 360® video game system and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The new intellectual property is currently in development by Epic’s People Can Fly studio in Poland.

“Epic is excited to work with EA Partners to launch our next big IP on the global stage,” said Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games. “EA Partners gives independent developers like Epic the muscle of a global publisher like EA, along with the focus and flexibility of a smaller team committed to working with our individual needs.”

“In the last year, EAP has become a powerhouse player in the publishing world with the best of breed developers signing on to leverage EA’s studio-focused philosophy, global scale and publishing leadership,” said Frank Gibeau, President of the EA Games Label. ”Epic brings first class talent and technology to the development of this new title. We are very proud to have Epic join the growing roster of EA Partners.”

“Epic is a legendary studio that is synonymous with quality and EA Partners jumped at the chance to team up with them on the launch of their next blockbuster IP,” said David DeMartini, senior vice president and general manager, EA Partners. “EA Partners is committed to giving the world’s best independent developers access to EA’s global publishing resources, letting them focus on what they do best – making great games.”

For more information about Epic Games, please visit www.epicgames.com

For more information about EA, please visit our press Web site at http://info.ea.com

If they had originally marketed the game in a plain red box with the line "Includes guns that shoot shurikens and lightning" in big gold letters, Painkiller would have become the bestselling first-person shooter of all time.

Steam Home Page [Valve - Thanks Mascott!]

I'd actually like to see him review more old games. By the time he gets to the newer titles I've already paid, played, and weighed them. The retrospectives have nostalgia on their side, reminding me of a time when I didn't feel I absolutely had to play everything that came out.

Zero Punctuation [The Escapist]

Berg, Komarnicki take 'Painkiller' [Variety, thanks John!]

MumboJumbo, developer of mind-numbing "casual games" like Luxor and Super Collapse has snapped up Ritual Entertainment, most recently known for their work on SiN Episodes. After releasing only one episode for the promised multi-chapter game, the company's future was called into question months ago amid rumors of key personnel changes.

Ironically, new owner MumboJumbo was founded by former Ritual CEO Ron Dimant, who left the company in in 2001. This doesn't appear to be a bail out move from MumboJumbo, to put Ritual back on the mainstream first-person shooter action games for which their known (Heavy Metal F.A.K.K.2, Star Trek Elite Force II), as Dimant clearly states that Ritual's talent will "set the bar for quality and sophistication in casual games."

RIP, Ritual. Michael McWhertor

MUMBOJUMBO(TM) ACQUIRES GAME DEVELOPMENT STUDIO RITUAL ENTERTAINMENT(TM)

Migration of Mainstream Development House to Casual Publisher Creates New Chapter in Gaming History

DALLAS, TX - January 24, 2007 - MumboJumbo(TM), a leading developer of premium casual games, today announced it has acquired Ritual Entertainment(TM), a veteran game development studio with expertise in game design and artistic quality. In addition to the strategic importance of the deal, which strengthens MumboJumbo's(TM) ability to deliver the best games to the casual gaming audience, the acquisition further solidifies the company's presence as one of the largest casual game studios in the industry.

"MumboJumbo(TM) established the casual games category at retail, and the purchase of Ritual Entertainment(TM) is consistent with our strategy to bring high-quality casual game content to the major platforms," said Ron Dimant, who left his post as chief executive officer of Ritual Entertainment(TM) in 2001 to found MumboJumbo(TM). "The combination of Ritual's(TM) high-end, multi-platform expertise and our own industry-leading publishing model will set the bar for quality and sophistication in casual games and create a major industry powerhouse. The casual games market is beginning to mature as evidenced by an increase in consumer expectations. Ultimately, the companies providing the best content will win, which is why we are investing so heavily in the development of technology and original IP."

"The disciplined structure of high end game development requires an in depth understanding of sophisticated tools and design techniques," said Robert Atkins of Ritual Entertainment(TM). "Ritual's(TM) expertise in these areas complements MumboJumbo's(TM) mass market approach to casual game development and gives us a true competitive advantage."

With over 30 employees and more than 10 years in the games industry, Ritual Entertainment(TM) has contributed and developed several mainstream, hit titles on all platforms including "25 To Life," "Delta Force - Black Hawk Down," "Counter Strike," "Painkiller," "Quake 4," and the "SiN" franchise of games, among others. In recent months, MumboJumbo(TM) has brought the popular "LUXOR(TM)" franchise and other top-selling titles such as "Super Collapse" and "7 Wonders of the Ancient World" to numerous platforms including Xbox Live(R) Arcade, Nintendo DS(TM), and the Sony PSP(TM) (Playstation(R) Portable) handheld. The acquisition of Ritual(TM) marks the most significant instance in casual gaming history of a mainstream game development house migrating to a casual game publisher.