2K takes on PC Jade Empire

When BioWare revealed that Jade Empire was headed for the PCs at this year's E3, it failed to mention any information on the game's publisher. The game was a hit on the Xbox when it was released in April 2005 and was published by Microsoft Game Studios, but the announcement of the game headed to the PC was without any mention of Microsoft.

BioWare's newfound independence thanks to its formation of BioWare/Pandemic Studios with fellow developer Pandemic and venture capital firm Elevation Partners led many to wonder what future publishing arrangements would be made out of the deal.

That question was partially answered today when BioWare revealed that 2K, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, will publish Jade Empire: Special Edition for the PC. The game is scheduled to be released in January 2007.

The primary difference between the PC version and the Xbox version will be graphical--expect enhanced bloom effects and more dynamic lighting--but the changes won't be limited to looks. PC users can also look forward to new fighting styles, exclusive weapons, and bigger, badder enemies.

For more information on Jade Empire: Special Edition, check out GameSpot's preview from E3. For more on the original game, read the full review.