In the latest Road to E3 press release, SEGA has announced Full Auto 2 exclusively for the PS3. Those of you with a 360 probably know that the first Full Auto was only okay, so PS3 exclusivity is interesting. After all, if it was successful on 360, why make it exclusive? Sounds like SEGA wants to start fresh with a new batch of PS3 owning gamers.

PR-speak to watch out for (emphasis mine):

•  fan favorite Unwreck(tm) feature
• sequel to the award winning Full Auto
• an extensive list of features entirely new to the franchise

Okay, it’s clear that SEGA wants this to be a hallmark series. Looking at the original website for Full Auto, the only actual award I can find is a silver from EGM and a Maxim game of the month. I don’t read Maxim, but if I did, it wouldn’t be for game reviews. Also telling is that the website says the Official Xbox Magazine gave Full Auto a 5 out of 5. That’s great, except OXM doesn’t grade on a scale of 5, opting instead for the 0-10 scale. All the rest of the “awards” were from last year’s E3, when we all still thought Full Auto was going to be Burnout with guns. Hmmm…

Anyway, the sequel will have new features and whatnot. You can read the release if you want details. Who knows, maybe they’ll get it right this time.

—image from Wrecked Exotics. Bonus points if you can name that car and its owner.

In their continuing E3 coverage, Xbox.com has posted an interview with the developers of Rainbow Six: Vegas. While I’m not sure I agree that Las Vegas is “awe inspiring”, I am excited about this game. Besides the obvious location, one interesting new feature mentioned is rappelling and “fast roping”. These skills will allow players to take their game to more vertical realms. The online component looks to build on the persistent character creation of the last game, though the developers assure that skilled players will still be able to compete with those who have better equipment. Some sort of website stat tracking is also planned but was not elaborated upon in the interview. Another cryptic quote: “We plan to use Marketplace in ways no other titles have done so far.” What does that mean? True episodic content perhaps? I’m guessing it’s overinflated marketing talk but we’ll wait and see. Expect more info at E3.

Word comes down from IGN that Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball 2 will be making an appearance at E3 this year. According to Famitsu, however, appearances is all we will get. That is to say, no playable form of DOAX2 is expected. 8bN isn’t complaining though. After all, looking is half the fun of DOA, isn’t it? Still, there is hope, as this is still only a rumor. There is still a chance that journalists and fanboys will get to lay their hands on their controllers come E3.

 —image from DOAX official site.

—UPDATE: A lot of people are being directed here by search engines. If you’re looking for the trailer, find it here.

In SEGA’s third road to E3 announcement, they have revealed World Pool Championship 2007 and World Pool Challenge 2007 for PS2 and PSP respectively. The sceens show off some of the hot pool action we can expect from the titles. This is an interesting announcement if not quite as dazzling as Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz or Virtua Tennis. I’m sure—at least I hope—SEGA has another ace or two up its sleeve.

In an interview with an internet radio station, Nintendo of Canada’s Director of Marketing, Pierre-Paul Trepanier, confirmed that the Revmote will feature force feedback and that “[Nintendo] will show more at E3″. The interview was conducted in French, so whether or not he was referring only to a rumble feature or something more complex is up to interpretation. I would imagine he was referring only to the standard rumble feature. Of course, Nintendo has yet to reveal the other “big secret” about the Revolution, so who knows?

—via Mozlapunk [thanks, Thomas]

In SEGA’s second day of pre-E3 press releases, it has announced a new Super Monkey Ball title for the Nintendo Revolution. Among the new features is the ability for the monkeys to jump by flicking the Revmote upward. There was no confirmation on how the rest of the game will be controlled, only that Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz will take advantage of the Revolution’s abilities. I’m really excited to see what else SEGA has up its sleeve for E3. It’s shaping up to be a big year for games.

According to the newly released E3 trailer for Capcom’s up an coming 360 game, Lost Planet, a demo is supposed to arrive May 9th. The trailer does not specify what form that demo will take, but I’ll just go ahead and assume it’s coming to the Xbox Live Marketplace. It damn well better. I don’t know that I’m particularly excited by this game. All of the gameplay footage I have seen is too rapidly cut, so you never get a chance to really see what’s happening. It is being produced by Keiji Inafune—the man responsible for Onimusha and Mega Man. I was fond of Onimusha, though I have only played the first one. We’ll see if this is any good come May 9th.

[UPDATE] Reader thomdano clues me in to the fact that not all of you know what Lost Planet is. Here is a link to some trailers, including the one mentioned above. I thought the trailer was only available on Xbox Live Marketplace. I was wrong. Please don’t hurt me. 

Lost Planet is a third person action game featuring ground combat and some rather impressive mechs. Players fight it out with other humans as well as some freaky monsters. The game’s protagonist is modelled in the likeness of Korean actor Lee Byung-Hun. The story involves the aforementioned mechs and monsters as well as “Snow Pirates,” which sounds like a sexual euphemism to me. So there you go.

Microsoft has officially rolled out the digital red carpet leading to E3. The first story kicking off this coverage? An interview with Peter Moore of course! It’s pretty much what you’d expect. He highlights some of the things you can expect at E3 (Mass Effect, Blue Dragon, Viva Pinata, etc.) and touts Xbox Live. What’s really great is that this year, Xbox 360 owners get to download E3 content from Marketplace. Very cool, Microsoft. Very sneaky. Anywho, read more about it here.

In the first of SEGA’s promised daily press releases leading up to E3, Virtua Tennis for PS3 and Xbox 360 was announced today. Several screens have been posted as well. I’m a big fan of all things SEGA and Virtua Tennis, so this is great news. So far, all I can say is it’s real purdy. Check here for more screens.