Kingpin returning to a life of crime

Besides his surprise announcement that Interplay is publishing Fallout 3 after all, CEO Herve Caen revealed that another venerable PC game is being revived. "Today, I am pleased to announce our plans to release a new Kingpin title," he told a group of analysts during an earnings report conference call.

Why would Interplay want to make a sequel to 1999's Kingpin: Life of Crime, whose violent and profane content sparked a firestorm of controversy? Because Caen hopes its sequel will do the same thing by generating interest among the Grand Theft Auto crowd. "[Kingpin] created today's hot M-rated category," he boasted.

Given Interplay's newfound focus on consoles, some may find it surprising that the Kingpin sequel will be released "on PC and Xbox," according to Caen. He said to expect the game sometime within the next two years and did not specify as to whether or not it was being developed externally or internally. Xatrix, the original Kingpin developer, reinvented itself as Gray Matter Studios and went on to create Return to Castle Wolfenstein.