It's better late than never; while European gamers have always been a little behind on software title releases for the different consoles, the recent team up of Namco Bandai Games America, Inc. and Deep Silver shows that gamers on the other side of the world will never be left out no matter what.

For more information, check out the full article after the jump!

Just about anyone, automotive buff or not, has dreamed of driving a Ferrari and getting his freak on with it on a freeway. Koch Media and System 3 are making that happen very soon with the coming of their new game, The Ferrari Challenge.

The title isn't ready to roll out of the garage yet, but Koch Media has already announced that it will be distributing System 3's multi-million euro project in all German and French-speaking territories in the European market.

"The distribution reach of Koch media was never in question, but we needed a company that understands our marketing strategy and has the resource to realise our plans," says System 3 CEO Mark Cale. "Koch has shown the level of commitment that we were looking for and we’re delighted to be working with them on this key launch."

Fans of Ferrari cars should be satisfied with the level of authenticity that the game will carry as the car maker has made an active and concerted effort to scrutinize the development and see to it that the experience is as realistic as possible.

The release date for The Ferrari Challenge is yet to be determined, but it has been confirmed that it will have distinct versions for the Sony PlayStation, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS platforms.

  

Koch Media has signed a distribution deal with Virgin Play for the games Dead'n'Furious and Final Armada in the UK. Both games are said to be coming out in the fourth quarter of this year.

The Managing Director of Koch Media Craig McNicol seems to be very thrilled about the entire proposition saying that, "it’s our [Koch Media UK's] aim to expand our console portfolio with quality titles, and the new products on DS and PSP from Virgin Play are great games to get excited about".

The Managing Director of Virgin Play Francisco Encinas, shares the same thoughts. He noted that "Wew are very pleased to have found the best possible partner to distribute our products in the UK. We are confident that this will be the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship for both companies."

So what exactly does Dead 'n' Furious and Final Armada bring to gamers?

Dead 'n' Furious, developed for the Nintendo DS by Dream On Studios has been called a "tribute to the House of the Dead" series. After checking out some of the awesome screenshots and reading up on the game play options, it looks like this game is going to be a killer. This game is essentially like an arcade shooter where you kill zombies by blasting their heads off. Your character is taken along a predefined path as you point and shoot with a stylus.

Final Armada for the PSP and the PS2 is a different story altogether. This one is about big mecha-like vehicles battling to the death. To be honest the visuals on this one are absolutely stunning. No word on how polished the gameplay is yet, but if it plays like it looks, then it'll be worth buying.

If you're the type of player who's into playing strategy video game titles, then you might want to know that the PSP version of The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome is available now in retail stores. The game is a joint project of companies Slitherine Software, Black Bean Games, Koch Media, and cable station The History Channel.

Basically, the Great Battles of Rome takes players to the humble beginnings of the Roman Empire, specifically when it was nothing more but a small village. Controlling vast armies and defeating countless enemies, the objective of the game is to fulfill that small village's destiny and establishe the Empire.

Furthermore, players will be able to customize the said armies using an incredible array of soldiers, legionaries, archers, cavalry, and war elephants. There's an option to play as the strategist and give orders or if you want, you can leave all that to the AI and focus on battling it out with the enemies.

The PSP version of The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome has a multiplayer mode where fans can go head-to-head against their friends in an epic war to remember.

The Bikefest UK show will be held this year at Donington Park on May 26. In relation to this, developer Black Bean Games and publisher Koch Media released a statement earlier today saying that video game title SBK-07: Superbike World Championship will be making an appearance during the said show.

Attendees will have the chance to ride new bikes on the track and on the road. Aside from this, fans who will be bringing their own bikes will also get their rides dyno'd for free. A retail zone, furthermore, will be put up where fans can purchase all the latest kits and tuning parts.

At the event's Pit Garage Stand, Koch Media will be making SBK-07 available to be played by everyone. If you can't make it to the stand because you're so busy watching riders defy gravity in the "Globe of Death," don't worry because two representatives will be going around the area to demo the game.

The SBK 2007 Pit Stop Cafe is home to the game's PlayStation 2 version where attendees can eat, drink, and try to beat the track records of their favorite riders. Koch Media Head of Marketing Jon Bailey said, "The 'have a go' theme of Bikefest UK represents the perfect location to give people a chance feel the sensations of riding a real Superbike in our video game."

SBK-07: Superbike World Championship features a total of 22 bikes and 13 licensed circuits. It will be released on June 8 for 29.99 GBP (US$ 59.25).

Developer Black Bean Games and publisher Koch Media UK made a joint announcement earlier today regarding the release date for SBK 2007: Superbike World Championship in Europe. The PlayStation Portable (PSP) and the PlayStation 2 (PS2) versions is now officially branded with the May 18, 2007 release date. The PC and 360 copies, on the other hand, are slated to arrive to video games shelves on Q4 2007.

Aside from the title's exciting features, it is good to know that SBK 2007 was developed with the help of SBK World Championship Team. This means that all the rides and tracks from 2007 will be included and reproduced as faithfully as possible. Speaking of which, there will be a total of 22 bikes and 13 licensed circuits.

In terms of gameplay, Superbike World Championship will have an arcade mode, allowing fans to enjoy breath-taking races as well as post-race highlights. The game has a good telemetry system and physics model but we're kind of excited the most with the Bike Settings. This feature lets players choose between speed or control - depending on external factors such as weather conditions.

SBK 2007: Superbike World Championship will be available, again, on May 18 for 29.99 GBP (US$ 60). On a related matter, there's still no official confirmation on the much-rumored PlayStation 3 (PS3) and Wii versions.

Koch Media has announced that it has signed a distribution deal with Black Bean games for the upcoming strategy title The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome for the PC, PS2, and PSP. "I am delighted that Black Bean have once again chosen to work with us," commented Craig McNicol, Managing Director to Koch Media UK, "This is an excellent license and truly underpins the quality of the game."

"This game has given us the opportunity to bring a great television brand to life in the interactive entertainment arena. The blending of dramatic video footage from The History Channel with fast paced gameplay delivers a unique and authentic experience that will have mass appeal," added Chris Mehers, Managing Director of Black Bean Games UK.

Combining compelling gameplay, dramatic video footage and battle simulation, The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome allows players to fully immerse themselves into the battles and campaigns that created the world's greatest Empire. Too bad we still don't have any concrete info as to how the gameplay goes. You can check out this trailer for a bit of a look at the game, though.

We also have a few comparison shots from each of the game's three platform versions below as well as the packshots for the PSP and PC versions above. From left to right, the screenshots below are, from left to right, from the PSP, PC, and for comparison's sake, the PS2.

The History Channel: Great Battles of Rome will hit the PC, PS2, and PSP in May 2007.

 

Black Bean Games' SBK-07: Superbike World Championship edges closer to the starting line with the announcement of a distributor and a release date. SBK-07 will be distributed by UK-based Koch media (guess this makes it a Euro release first), and is now also being developed by Black Bean for the PC and Xbox 360 as well as the PSP and PS2.

You already know that this game's got the backing of FG Sport, who's in charge of the real-world Superbike World Championship. You've also seen the PSP "work in progress" screenshots. No new assets to go with Black Bean's and Koch's announcements today, though, especially for the 360 and PC versions of the game. Guess work is still in progress. We'll get new info on the game to you as we find it.