Doom 3 game unlikely for Xbox this year

NEW YORK - The Xbox version of "Doom 3," the long-awaited PC video game recently released to wide acclaim, is not likely to be released in 2004 dealing a blow to enthusiastic game players who are anxiously awaiting it.

id Software Chief Executive Todd Hollenshead told Reuters that his company is still working on the game and will continue to do so until it has the best game for fans.

"It's probably not going to come out this year," Hollenshead said. "Back in May, we were kind of hoping we'd have a holiday launch. I'm not sure we're going to get there.

Leading game retailers show the game scheduled for a late-October release, although some have said in recent days they were uncertain it would actually come out this year.

But the PC version has gotten off to a fast start, as Hollenshead said it sold about 300,000 units in its first week on store shelves, a strong number for a PC game.

Both the PC and Xbox version are published by Activision Inc.

"Doom 3," which puts players in a research facility on Mars where experiments have opened the gates to the underworld, has been in development for years. Despite the pleas of fans, id Software has steadfastly offered only one answer when asked when the game would be out: "When it's done."

The original "Doom," released in 1993, revolutionized PC gaming and made a cult idol of id Software co-founder John Carmack, who is renowned for cutting edge computer graphics.

Hollenshead said id Software has begun preliminary work on a new game, but he declined to discuss its details.

"We don't even have a name for it yet, more of just a general direction," he said.

- REUTERS