Firaxis Will Stay With EA

Firaxis Games and Electronic Arts announced Thursday that the agreement between the two will remain in place for now. Two more titles, in addition to the upcoming Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, have been signed on for publication.

Despite the fact that Alpha Centauri has been delayed slightly and will not be seen this year, EA has every reason to be happy with the deal, which began with the release of Sid Meier's Gettysburg in late 1997. Anticipation for Alpha Centauri, billed as the true successor to the computerized version of Civilization, has been building since it was announced at about that same time.

"With the success of Sid Meier's Gettysburg and the anticipation and excitement that's developing for the release of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri early next year, we are delighted to announce the extension of our relationship with Firaxis Games," said Neil Young, vice president of Electronic Arts.